PZ 3 

FT MEADE 

GenCol1 

. J265 


1 k° 


! COPY 1 

( " . $ 


■. i ji 


■<;>r 


\ \• * 










Class _ 

Rnnk > Q) 5 

Copyright N?_\xCk_ 


CrOEKRIGHT DEPOSCT. 



























































. 































































. 


. 

... * • » 



H1 I I 


























M« i 

liP . ^^^l^’/vii^'' 
f €4- tysNSSR 

if: 
if* -, 


V/.'E5AUL^AM.,y 33 


r^f&^k: r %%^V 
">-& 

.^^•^Xi»^K*0'f •»?*>?•*r.Kf'f*. :> 

;>; if i. 

^I^sSsM^s^o^^ ; / i;;-- > J ' 

*&»<-.' :'-j>&i* >£*vijr f ’‘ $*#. •»; ’ 
\JJy|j*&.* *f.\»^/^vC««W^.:-V* '> •', 

, v ' 

.p:'-.: ■- ' ■•■ >'" "''" • v ‘ 

• i?'-v •";••'”•* r-'\ rM i; ■’/,' 

ry,:.. ': 


mm3 


The Gold Mine 








©» goto Wm 


By 

BETTY 



Translated from Swedish 


Published by 

THE COVENANT BOOK CONCERN 
136 West Lake Street 
Chicago, Ill. 




COPYRIGHT, 1923, 
by the Covenant Book Concern, 
Chicago, Ill. 


CHAPTER I. 

One of the “Quiet in the Land.” 



was only half past six in the morning, 
and yet the sewing machine had buzzed 
for a whole hour, if not longer. True, it 
had now and then paused, as the pieces 
of cloth that were being sewed together escaped 
from beneath the presser-foot, but only to buzz on 
as before. And thus it went on up there in the 
corner room of the gray, delapidated house, day 
after day, week after week, year after year, in 
monotonous, unceasing toil. 

The busy seamstress, who sat before the ma¬ 
chine pale, rigid, and with impassive features, now 
and then cast a hurried glance out through the 
window, as if she longed for some interruption of 
the chain of thoughts or of the tiresome buzz of 
the machine—some new impression that might 
dispel the loneliness about her. But no! What she 
saw was exactly the same that every morning for 
many years had met her gaze. A gray, one story 
building to the left, with the facade toward the 
same courtyard at whose lower, southwest corner 
stood the old tumble-down structure where she had 
her home. And directly opposite this was a long 
row of low out-buildings with thin thatched roofs 
in the same melancholy, gray color as the two 



4 


THE GOLD MINE 


dwelling houses. To the right below the fence was a 
rough piece of ground, covered with short grass— 
and low juniper bushes between the big boulders, 
and here and there hollows, in which the clayey 
water shone with a whitish tint. Yonder she could 
see old Swan, in his dingy white jacketsleeves, his 
soiled vest, and his shiny skin apron, come out of 
the shed with an armful of wood, just as usual, and 
old Stina, in coarse-checkered calico dess and red 
kerchief, emerged from the barn with a milk-buck¬ 
et in each hand, exactly as she had come and 
limped up the path during all these years. 

With a sigh the pale seamstress turned her 
gaze from the window to look again at the seam, 
which she carefully examined, after which she 
again put the flywheel in motion. 

Everybody in the neighborhood knew that 
Dressmaking Judith was a clever, conscientious 
and punctual seamstress, who was never guilty of 
any dishonesty and never promised to have any 
work ready before she was sure of being able to 
make good her promise. But who thought for a 
moment this unrelenting, soul-killing work could, 
as it actually seemed to her, smother her personal 
self, ravage the garden of her soul and convert 
her into a machine? 

Judith had arrived at the age which generally 
defies guessing, but which is commonly styled that 
of the old maid. Her hair was as rich and dark 
as in her young days, and no wrinkles could yet 


THE GOLD MINE 


5 


be detected on her fine forehead. But the change¬ 
less sallow complexion, the colorless, firmly closed 
lips, which were seldom beautiful with a smile, 
and the flabby cheeks, which had lost the plump¬ 
ness of youth, showed that she had passed the line 
that divides youth from middle age. For her youth¬ 
ful dreams and hilarity were forever gone. It was 
dreary not to have anyone to live and work for, 
now that her mother, for whose sake she had sacri¬ 
ficed that which once stood alluringly before her 
and offered itself to her as the happiness of her 
life, had departed from her to the land from which 
no one returns. Since that time it appeared to her 
that she was only living half a life. 

It often seemed to her so meaningless that she 
should year after year be compelled to continue the 
struggle for her own unprofitable existence. Even 
if people were kind and courteous to her, yet no 
one loved her. And even though she esteemed 
many of them, for none of them could she feel 
that sympathy which might have filled the aching 
void in her heart. What was her life but a con¬ 
tinual round of cutting, stitching, trying on and 
treading on the machine six days in the week till 
far into the night, with one day of lonely, uninter¬ 
esting rest? Was it a defect in her Christian life, 
or a result of her solitary life or natural bent ? At 
any rate, she felt as just one too many among her 
associates, weary, down-hearted, and forsaken. 

She laid her work aside and went to start a 


6 


THE GOLD MINE 


fire in the stove. Then she put the coffee-pot, which 
always had a bright side to show, on the fire, and 
while she waited for the water to boil she went 
about in the rather large roo,m, polishing, arrang¬ 
ing, and dusting, in order that everything might 
look neat. Indeed, not a little skill was required to 
produce anything like good cheer in a room like 
this. The foor was exceedingly rough and boken 
up, but Judith had covered up its defects by meants 
of tastefully banded rag carpets. The roof sagged 
perilously over her head, and the rafters were so 
rotten that they seemed ready to break and bury 
her beneath the blackened tiles with which the 
house was roofed. But Judith had carefully withe- 
washed it with chalk, and at least made it seem 
capable of holding out yet for a time. The walls 
were rough and buckled, but Judith had covered 
the worst spots with light and pretty, though 
cheap, wall paper, and the many large and small 
pictures were arranged with a taste that was simply 
surprising. The only window in the room, with its 
twelve little green panes, was as clean and clear 
as two painstaking womanly hands could make it, 
and the long curtains, which were attached to a 
wooden shelf just beneath the roof, were gracefully 
draped in front of a couple of well cared for orna¬ 
mental pot plants. The oldfashioned clumsy fire 
place was shining white and provided with shelf- 
strip and a few little ornaments on the frieze, which 
seemed to say: “Here we stand, that we may from 


THE GOLD MINE 


7 


our little corner scatter a little beauty and loveli¬ 
ness over that which is in itself ugly and clumsy.” 
On the tall commode with the mirror stood pretty 
vases with autumn flowers that were still fresh 
and bright, and on the neatly made bed was spread 
a snow-white home-crocheted coverlet. In this 
way the uninviting apartment had acquired a look 
of neatness and cheeriness which was quite un¬ 
expected for one who, for the first time, crawled up 
the squeaky stairs and, guided by the light from a 
little opening near the roof, made his way across the 
gloomy, ghostly attic into the room. The old house 
in “bottle-case” style had for ages served as dwell¬ 
ing-house to the owners of the Hedeberga estate 
but in its decrepit old age been exchanged for the 
new dwelling yonder, which was built in the later 
popular style with only one story on a larger lot 
and with tall windows and a modest verandah, but 
which had already had time to exhibit as gray walls 
and as darkened, roof-tiles as the former. 

Now the old wreck stood there like a ghostly 
appariation from olden times with its eftipty or 
boarded-up window-opening, its loosened siding, 
yellow with wall-moss, its slanting door, and 
a chimney that resembled a rock-pile. And it 
was like a glimmer of sunshine amidst gray autumn 
clouds to se Judith’s clean little window, with its 
white curtains and blooming pot-plants, gently 
looking down on the plot below, overgrown as it 
was with bardock, nettles, and weeds. 


8 


THE GOLD MINE 


The clatter of horses’ hoofs and the rattle of 
wagon wheels was heard from the side of the house, 
where the drive-way to the place led through a 
broad gate of unpainted slabs. 

Judith went to the window and drew the curtain 
aside. Yonder there had been carried out beds and 
wooden couches, large, wide extension tables and 
straight-backed chairs, cupboards and commodes, 
“besides other things, too numerous to mention.” 
A spry little woman, quick in her motions and with 
a kind old face, directed a number of listening dray¬ 
men how best to place the articles on the wagons 
so that there would be room for all. 

And a tremenduos stir there was. Grain sacks, 
flour barrels, bread boxes, meat-tubs and hams 
were being carried down from the provision-room. 
The cattle were loosed and led from the barn, 
lowing loudly in both high and deep tones. Men, 
women, and boys ran helter-skelter, as it seemed, 
in wild disorder; yet they had, no doubt, each his 
duty to perform. 

Judith remained standing by the window until 
a couple of tears slowly ran down her cheeks. Her 
heart was oppressed with a feeling of painful 
forsakenness. Father Swan and Mother Britta, 
who felt that they were aged, found it all too 
burdensome to manage the big estate and there¬ 
fore had sold it and bought a little place further 
off in the parish where they could live more quietly 
and at ease. 


THE GOLD MINE 


9 


Their wedded life had been childless, and there 
was none of kin who could take over the estate; 
hence it had been sold to people from a distant 
locality. 

It was sad for Judith, for, as the years went by, 
she had actually come to like her old-fashioned, 
honorable landlord and landlady. Old Swan, with 
his blunt, droll manner, had often enough succeeded 
in drawing a half smile from the lips of his sober 
tenant, and ever and anon he would trudge up the 
steep stairs with an armful of small kindling as a 
present to her. 

And Mother Britta—oh, now Judith felt that 
she would miss the dear old lady in good earnest, 
notwithstanding that in their views on religion they 
never could agree. The old couple were both 
Christians, but of a strictly conservative coloring, 
whereas Judith to their constant surprise and pity 
exhibited more liberal views and was in error in 
their judgment. Hence there could be no full 
sympathy between them, although they were 
and felt one in spirit. Judith merely smiled at 
Swan’s lengthy reasonings, as he sat and scratched 
himself behind the ear and deprecated the new¬ 
fangled faith which the “spirit circles” of the new 
age had gotten up. She did likewise when Mother 
Britta, the active little woman with a single tooth, 
uttered long tirades against “disregard for church 
and minister and against clandestine preachers that 
entirely spoil the people” etc. 


10 


THE GOLD MINE 


Now she felt sorry to see the old couple’s be¬ 
longings loaded on carts and wagons to be trans¬ 
ported several miles away. It affected Judith more 
than she had supposed it would. The old lady had 
not only remembered the lonely, overworked girl 
with fresh biscuits, fresh meat at slaughtering-time, 
milk, potatoes, and other good things out of pantry 
and barn, but she had also shown her a heartfelt 
and genuine kindness, which could be nothing else 
than a fruit of Christ’s love. 

The rent for the little room had also in her be¬ 
half been reduced to the lowest possible amount. 
The old couple had also secured from the new 
owners the right for her to continually occupy her 
apartment for the same rent—but alas, how long? 
What kind of people were they, her new landlord 
and fafnily? When Judith once asked Mother 
Britta regarding this, the old lady shook her gray 
head, and her usually cheerful face assumed a 
serious look, which made Judith uneasy and de¬ 
prived her of the desire to hear more. 

That they were a middle-aged couple, with a 
large flock of children, she had long known; but, 
to tell the truth, this brought her little joy, for 
what more unpleasant or enervating could be 
imagined than a flock of unruly youngsters with 
their meanness, noise, quarrels and mischief? 

But she must hurry and put on that blouse with 
the delicate cream-colored trimmings that looked 
so becoming, for she must have her old friends with 


THE GOLD MINE 


11 


h$r for a cup of good coffee before they seated 
themselves in the sulky and disappeared for the 
last time through the large gate. Oh! And it was 
already past nine o’clock. 

A snowwhite table cloth was hurriedly spread 
on the little round table in front of the sofa. Three 
pairs of dainty cups and saucers, a little polished 
sugar bowl, and a cream pitcher of red glass were 
arranged about a glass tray with coffee-bread. 
When the coffee-table was in readiness, Judith took 
her simple every-day hat from the hook in the 
door post and hastened down the stairs. 

Mother Britta was hurrying to and fro between 
the loads of moving-goods, and Swan was just 
tying the wash tub and the water tank to one of 
the wagons, when Judith in her unobtrusive way 
asked if they would be pleased to drink a parting 
cup with her. 

“Oh! So you have a parting cup for us, little 
girl! Have you forgotten, that both Mother and 
I have quit drinking coffee?” asked Father Swan 
in a tone so unflinchingly serious, that his words 
might have been taken in good earnest if the rogue 
had not peeped out when he winked with his gray 
eyes, as he generally did when there lay another 
meaning under his words. 

A forced smile passed over Judith’s face, but 
to-day she was all too sad to allow Father Swan’s 
humor to affect her. 

“Father Swan, you will please come, won’t you? 


12 


THE GOLD MINE 


Mother Britta, let Lars tie the bed clothes down 
alone. They lie as securely as if they were grown 
fast. Come now!” 

After a while she had succeeded in getting the 
old couple with her up. Persistence wins, and the 
coffee tasted fine in the autumn cold. 

“I can't understand, how you’ve managed to 
make it so elegant up here in Mother’s old treasury, 
child! People must live like lords these days, 
whether they can afford it or not.” 

“You see, Father Swan, I have to live like a 
lord because I can’t afford to live like a peasant,” 
replied Judith, as imperturbably serious as he. 

Finally the parting moment arrived: 

“God be with you, my little child! Be true to 
the word of God and His church, and you will not 
be without shelter when the last day comes,” said 
Father Swan, as he extended his withered hand to 
the lonely woman. 

“Thanks, Father Swan! And you be true to Him 
who says: “The stranger they do not follow but flee 
from him, for the sheep hear not the voice of the 
stranger, as you know,” replied Judith and warmly 
pressed the old man’s hand. 

But when the old couple immediately after din¬ 
ner seated themselves in the sulky and nodded their 
last farewell to her up in her little window, Judith 
wept aloud, so that she had to remove the pretty 
blouse, for fear the cream-colored satin would be 
stained by her tears of sorrow. 


THE GOLD MINE 


13 


Now she was alone—ah, how terribly alone! 
But, Jesus had said: “Lo, I am with you always!” 
Then, He also was with her on this sorrowful 
moving’ day ... 

Now followed days and nights during which Ju¬ 
dith, in spite of her faith and trust in God, often 
felt afraid, not exactly afraid of ghosts, but still 
something of that nature, afraid of the great empti¬ 
ness and solitude that seemed to want to swallow 
her up from every direction. 

Not a living being besides herself was to be 
found on the forsaken premises, with the exception 
of the rats, which in throngs took possession of the 
old house and now felt themselves masters of the 
place. But lo and behold! Had they not forgotten 
the poor cat, the good, friendly Whitis, who quite 
frequently had been wont to visit the quiet retreat 
on Judith’s clean mantelpiece. How lonesome and 
bewildered he looks as he stands and gazes about 
with great, melancholy eyes, as if he expected that 
some one of the househould should appear and ad¬ 
mit him to the barred house! 

Judith opened the window and called caressing¬ 
ly : ‘‘Whitis, Pussy dear!” 

Whitis looked around in surprise, and when he 
discovered a human being, and, what was more, a 
good friend, he set up a little glad mewing and 
went like a shuttle into the entry and never stopped 
till he was within Judith’s domain, where by circling 
around her and coinually mewing as he brushed 


14 


THE GOLD MINE 


he,r dress he seemed to want to tell her how glad 
he was to find a being of flesh and blood on the 
desolate place. 

Judith no longer felt so hideously lonely, al¬ 
though many a time a shudder passed through her 
when during the dark evenings and nights she 
heard the many mysterious, unaccountable sounds 
that always are heard in old houses, and which fre¬ 
quently give rise to the various ghost stories that 
are in circulation. The empty dwelling house with 
its bare, staring window, the empty barn, whence 
no lowing emanated into the still morning—all gave 
her the impression that neither she nor her sur¬ 
roundings anymore pertained to the land of the 
living, until finally one morning she awoke at the 
sound of human voices. On raising the window 
shade she saw over the fog, which heavy and mois¬ 
ture-laden hugged the ground, a ladder raised 
against the wall of the house, and, on the ladder, 
a man who had already left a large red spot on the 
wall as proof of his vocational skill. 

Lo, there another man’s head and a hand with 
a brush emerged out of the mist, and there a third 
one made his appearance. It was plain that the 
greatest dispatch had been ordered, and pretty soon 
the gray color had given place to a warm red, which 
gave the old dwelling a cheery, youthful look. 

Ere long all the buildings stood in red festive 
attire and looked surprised at each other’s finery— 
all except the old dilapidated structure where Ju- 


THE GOLD MINE 


15 


dith lived. It stood there gray and forgotten like 
some aged person who once had been young and 
useful but now in his old age had lost all signifi¬ 
cance and was completely ignored. Such is the way 
of the world. 

Then the foundation was plastered, fences were 
repaired, fallen gates were again mounted on their 
hinges. The rooms were prepared and the doors 
were painted, the floors were scrubbed, and all that 
conveyed an impression of ugliness was removed. 
How the whole place of a sudden took on a differ¬ 
ent look—a stamp of order, comfort and beauty! 
But the dear old Christian couple were away—and 
what kind of people were the future occupants of 
this home, when everything was done for external 
appearance, whereas formerly the genuine virtues, 
piety and contentment, had been the fairest orna¬ 
ments of the home. Judith fancied that in the fate 
of her forsaken, despised abode she saw her own. 


CHAPTER II 

The Newcomers 


SHlHiHES FORTNIGHT after the old couple’s de- 
~jparture the new occupants arrived. That 
j they were genuine up-to-date people, 
jjwho intended to bring a new era with 
them into the new home, was evident. Handsome 
furniture and fixtures arrived, load after load. The 
picket-gate at the corner slammed incessantly, so 
that the old dwelling seemed to shake on its founda¬ 
tions. Again there was heard the lowing of cows 
and the bleating of sheep from the out-buildings, 
and life, which like a frozen river had congealed 
and lain in a torpor, had resumed its course but 
in newer, richer forms. 

A beaming September sun poured light and 
warmth over the lawn, where such old-fashioned 
flowers as poppies, marigold, hollyhock and 
autumn lilacs served to give life and color to the 
scene. A little troop of busy people were hurrying 
out and in with the goods. Pretty soon lovely 
curtains draped the windows, and between them 
could be seen pot plants in bloom. 

It was no easy matter to work to-day. The 
hands would not obey, and no wonder, for the work- 
master, the will, had grown laggard. But all the 
16 






THE GOLD MINE 


17 


more briskly went the work in the work-shop of 
thought. Why could she not be composed as usual 
and refrain from wondering and making compari¬ 
sons? 

She saw before her a picture of earthly comfort 
and joy that made her lonely existence all the more 
joyless. She felt wearier than usual, and even 
poorer; there was hardly a bit of bread in the little 
cupboard, which not infrequently contained noth¬ 
ing but its perfect neatness and its pretty shelf- 
paper. And yet it often happened that her cus- 
tomes, especially the wealthy country misses and 
their mamas, gave her to understand that she was 
exorbitantly high priced, and then, at their in¬ 
sistent and unreasonable protest, she had to put 
down her wages till she received hardly more than 
half pay for her work. What did these well-to-do 
people know about hardships and privations, or how 
could they know what a poor seamstress must 
endure who in the first place wants to be as good 
as her word, and in the second place needs some¬ 
thing besides air to live on? She could not help, 
that all this, which she generally took philoso¬ 
phically enough, now seemed unspeakably bitter to 
her. 

Down at the neighbor’s the busy life increased. 
It must be the lady of the home herself who had 
begun to pack up porclain and glassware from a 
newly arrived load. She looks rather young to have 
so many youngsters. A whole troop of them 


18 


THE GOLD MINE 


run busily back and forth between the loads and 
receive things to be carried into the house. How 
could the mother dare to leave such fragile things 
in the hands of that set of thoughtless youngsters ? 
But they do not all look unruly and they carry 
the things as cautiously as if they were grown up 
people. One-two-three of them were nearly of the 
same size. 

A tall girl of some fifteen summers has come 
to help mama by picking up the things and hand¬ 
ing them out to the little busy brownies. She re¬ 
sembles her mother somewhat, has soft womanly 
features, and light hair, which she wears combed 
over the crown of her head and united in a long 
braid hanging down her back. But how pale she 
is! She must not be in the best of health ... 

But where did that one come from—she, who 
approaches with the nimbleness of a squirrel, takes 
hold of her mother and points with one hand 
toward the house? How the whole scene gains 
life and color from this healthy young creature— 
the very picture of health and energy. There is 
sunshine in those free, tumbling ringlets which 
plainly enough do not owe their soft winding 
ways to the curling-iron; there is sunshine in 
the blue eyes—and in the bright smile that makes 
her look like the principal figure in this living pic¬ 
ture. See what beautiful teeth she has and how 
glad she looks when she smiles like that... She 


THE GOLD MINE 


19 


may be the oldest daughter in the family. How 
happy she must be ...! 

Judith had allowed her work to fall on her lap. 
She was paler than usual. The sight of the glad, 
active familygroup down in the yard had not ex¬ 
hilarated her. What was the matter with her? She 
had felt such a queer sting in her bosom! What 
was this new feeling that took possession of her— 
a feeling of shrinking together more and more till 
she felt as one too much in God's great world. 

Something similar she had felt before, but there 
was added something new—a hitherto unknown 
element within her which made the horizon darker 
than usual. Was it envy? Or was it not rather 
her old dream that had taken on a new form— 
this hitherto unfulfilled desire for some creature to 
love with the whole depth of her nature, and who 
could love her in return? 

Why should this befall her now? Was she not 
loved by God? Was she not permitted to love God 
with all her heart? Was not His grace sufficient 
for her? What if she was posessed of a happiness 
even greater than those eager, restless human 
beings that rushed by one another down there, busy 
with the moving goods! What more did she want ? 
Did she want to exchange her poverty for their 
wealth, if her eternal treasures thereby should be 
diminished? Did she want to exchange her ripe 
age with its experience of forgiveness of sins and 
peace of soul for youth and beauty? 


20 


THE GOLD MINE 


“Teach me, ye woods, to wither glad 
And think, when autumn makes me sad: 

A glorious spring is coming,” 

she sighed, and resumed her work, but only to let 
it fall again, while her glance strayed out through 
the window. 

Now the young, curly-haired girl puts her hand 
over her eyes and looks up toward Judith’s 
window. Then she points that way and says some¬ 
thing to her mother—something that brought a 
smile to the face of both. Were they talking 
about her? Did they know that there was a 
crabbed old seamstress that dwelt in this forsaken 
habitation, “like an owl among ruins,” widely 
separated from the world in which they lived? 
Or did they smile at her as a fool, a poor meeting- 
goer who was unfit to associate with them? 

“Happy am I, happy am I, 

Though my earthly wealth be small.” 

So she wanted to feel, but she could only hum, 
and it did not surprise her much that it sounded as 
if she were singing the opposite. What she felt 
was of a different nature; that she did not want 
to sing. 

She saw herself overworked, pale and hollow- 
eyed, with unmistakable signs of a vanishing youth, 
and in contrast there was the beaming girl with the 
fire of youth in her eyes and roses on her cheeks, 
Her present life was an all but powerless struggle 
with poverty, with waning health and strength, a 


THE GOLD MINE 


21 


purse that was often empty, and the strictest 
economy in order to make both ends meet. In 
contrast to this her new hosts, healthy, strong, 
active people, who had an abundance of all that 
makes life pleasant. What contrasts! 

Something woke her up from the melancholy 
comparisons, and that was Whitis, who sat outside 
the door and asked to be let in. He had seen how 
a little newly-arrived pussy-miss had been fed a 
cup of fresh milk on the verandah. But as a well 
bred pussy he could not offer to keep her company, 
but instead hurried up to his home, where he could 
without embarrassment tell how hungry he was. 

“Poor Whitis, you don’t know how poor your 
landlady is to-day!” sighed Judith and stroked his 
fine fur, which resembled an ermine mantle. 
“There isn’t a white drop in the tin can, and I can 
not as yet go down and ask to get a pint a day, as 
with the old couple.” 

But wait! Whitis had been forced to learn to be 
content with a poor woman’s fare since he moved to 
Judith, and he could drink his coffee with a little 
sugar and milk and soaked bread with as good 
relish as if it had been pure milk. Judith hastily 
made fire in the stove and put on the coffee pot 
There was still a bit of cream in the cream pitcher, 
and she had bread, although it was dry. “Poor 
Whitis, how hungry you must have been!” But 
Judith said nothing about herself. 

Suddenly she started. A knock compelled her 


22 


THE GOLD MINE 


to hastily finish her breakfast and put away the 
dishes after the meager respast, but Whitis would 
not be troubled. 

At Judith’s “Come in!” the door opened, and it 
was as if a flood of sunlight had streamed in from 
the dark attic. 

The young girl from the yard below—she of 
the sunbeams—entered the room and quietly placed 
a basket in the corner by the stove, after which 
she approached the bewildered seamstress and said 
in her frank way: 

“I am Gunnel, daughter of Ivarsons down there. 
Mama asks if Madam will be kind enough to drink 
coffee with us this evening after we have got some¬ 
thing like order in the house. Now everything is 
as if it had been stirred with a stick, but we are 
many hands, and we are bound to get something 
done.” 

She took Judith’s slender, chilly hands between 
her soft and warm ones and gently squeezed them. 

“Many thanks! I hardly thought you knew 
about me. But—I am no Madam—only ‘Dress- 
maker-Judith.’ ” 

“Judith! That is quite an uncommon name, and 
pretty too. Oh, but see what a pretty cat! It must 
be the same that was down there and played with 
our Vega. What in all the world—does he drink 
coffee?” 

Judith stroked his back but did not answer at 
once. 


THE GOLD MINE 


23 


“Whitis is eating his breakfast now. He like 
myself is fond of coffee/’ she said with a forced 
smile. 

"Doesn’t he drink milk?” 

“Oh yes—of course—but he eats—any¬ 
thing ..and she nearly added, “that he can get,” 
but she suddenly checked herself. 

Gunnel looked first at the slender seamstress, 
then at the white cat that eagerly licked the sides 
of the saucer, and then all at once she understood. 

“I will go down after some fresh milk, and 
then we will see if he doesn’t like that better. He 
might get nervous from drinking too much coffee,” 
she added with a contagious, merry laugh. 

Judith had no time to answer, before the girl 
darted like an arrow down the stairs, but she had 
all kinds of trouble to keep the cat from the basket 
which Gunnel had set down, to which an invisible 
magnet seemed to draw him, while he looked at 
his mistress, mewing pitifully. 

In a few moments Gunnel came back with a 
large can filled with morning milk, of which 
Whitis to his great delight received the saucer 
full. The rest was poured into Judith’s bright 
little milk pan and put in the cupboard. 

Judith in bewilderment expressed her thanks. 

While she poured out the milk and rinsed the 
can, Gunnel looked about in the room. 

“How cozy it is here! One would hardly imagine 
it when looking at the outside. How you have 


24 


THE GOLD MINE 


been able to change an old shanty like this into a 
nice sitting-room is more than I can comprehend. 
And there is my verse—‘For the word of the cross 
is to them that perish foolishness, but to us who are 
saved it is the power of God’.” 

“It that so? Are you, Gunnel, a child of God?” 

“Yes—and you, Judith?” 

“For ten years.” 

“Then we are sisters.” 

Judith’s eyes shown with joyous surprise. This 
was something unusual for her. 

“It will be fine to tell father and mother about 
thisj You see, Judith, at home in Sandum we were 
a lot of Christians, and here, they tell us, there are 
none. We are as proud of you as if we had dis¬ 
covered a gold mine on the premises.” 

Judith smiled at the idea of the gold mine. 

“We expect to see you this evening. Take the 
cat along with you, and Vega will have some fun. 
And, please, Mamma asks you not to be offended 
because she sends you a little roll and something 
just for food.” The girl opened the basket and 
took out a puffy roll, which still smelt fresh, a 
piece of fresh mutton, eggs, and a lump of butter 
on a dish. 

Judith was overcome. 

“Dear Gunnel, what are you thinking of? You 
didn’t know what kind of a queer personage you 
had up here in his old haunt of ghosts,” she said at 
last between weeping and laughing. 


THE GOLD MINE 


25 


“We guessed that you were a creature composed 
of flesh and blood, and subject to the same wants 
as other human beings. And now they will find 
out that you have also a spirit that puts you in 
relationship with us/’ replied Gunnel warmly. 
“Don’t wait longer than till four!” And with these 
words she was gone. 


CHAPTER III. 

A New World 


four o’clock Judith was ready to go 

(~A) down to her new hosts. Was it the care- 
*§» «8> worn Judith who stood before the mir- 

ror an( i adjusted the black brooch in her 
waist? She had found herself too ordinary in her 
homely blue-streaked calico dess, so the had now 
donned her dark blue skirt and light-colored waist. 
In addition the significance of the hour had given 
another expression to her face than the usual down¬ 
cast one. She thought herself that she was much 
younger than yesterday. 

“Come now, Whitis, you are invited too.” 

In the yard they were met by Gunnel. 

Nimble and full of high-spirits, she had come 
running to embrace Judith. 

“How nicely you are dressed up! Now you look 
just as young as I.” 

“Don’t pretend that an old tobby is a kitten,” 
replied Judith with a smile. 

She felt more than she saw, that she was old; 
yet it pleased her that Gunnel did not find her too 
old to keep her company. 

On the veranda stood Mother Ivarsson with a 
cordial welcome on her lips. “Here is our gold 
mine,” said Gunnel in her bright, sunny way. 



THE GOLD MINE 


27 


“Don’t say that, Gunnel,” said Judith with a 
sigh. 

“Yes, I say it—though not much of the gold 
has been brought to light yet,” insisted the girl in 
a decided manner. 

“What if there be more dross than gold?” 

“There is always dross in gold ore but it goes 
away in the refining—haven’t you felt that at 
times? The Refiner knows what to do about 
that...” 

Judith did not clearly grasp the meaning of 
what the girl said, but she could not forget her 
words. 

It was a lovely autumn evening with mild, 
pleasant air. The sun poured a flood of golden light 
over the glowing splendor of the leafy trees. 
Beyond the dwelling house lay the orchard, where 
the old knotted apple trees stood bending beneath 
the burden of ripening fruit and reminded one of 
decrepit old men who have gotten too much to 
carry on their backs. Between leafy eminences and 
fields of grain the lake peeped forth, “blue as an 
angel’s eye.” All seemed so harmonius and country¬ 
like, excepting the old gray structure below the 
main building, Judith's home. 

“That old building yonder ought to be taken 
away, just as —.” 

Judith did not complete the sentence. 

She was about to relapse into her melancholy 
mood but was prevented by Gunnel’s merry laugh. 


28 


THE GOLD MINE 


“I know what you mean to say, Judith. I know 
you, although our acquaintance is only a couple of 
hours old. There are some people we can see clear 
through the first time, and you are of that kind. 
That old thing will soon be removed, says Father, 
but its only inhabitant is going to be built up 
afresh on our most holy faith and become a glorious 
temple, dedicated to the service of the Lord.” 

“You seem to have big thoughts of both me 
and yourself, Gunnel. Is it you that are going to 
be the builder then?” 

“Ye are God’s building, says the Scripture, and 
we are God’s fellow-workers. He is Himself the 
architect. I am only to aid in picking away some 
of the old material...” 

“Never mind Gunnel, Miss Judith. She always 
talks sort of ‘mystically,’ as Father says. Please 
come in, and we will bring in the coffee.” 

It was an entirely new home where Judith 
entered. She scarcely knew the old sitting room. 
Mother Britta had kept her house clean and order¬ 
ly, and a breath of peace had ay ways met Judith 
at the door, she thought; but everything was simple 
to the last degree and after the style of the old 
world, as Mother Britta herself said. But here the 
new era with its conveniences and its higher stand¬ 
ards had entered with light and comfort. The 
windows in the room were draped with cream 
colored curtains, decorated with simple embroidery 


THE GOLD MINE 


29 


and broad crocheted lace, and on the walls hung 
great pictures in gilt frames. But the open fire 
place was the same, and all thought with glad 
anticipation of the beautiful fires that were to en¬ 
liven the big room during the long winter evenings. 

From a large glass painting in a frame the 
stranger on entering was greeted with these words : 

“I and my house, we will serve the Lord.” 

The coffee table was spread and handsomely 
decorated with an enormous bouquet of fine autumn 
flowers from the former home. The whole room 
was scented with sweet mignonette and sweet peas. 
Gunnel acted the hostess and compelled Judith to 
take her place in the sofa right between Mother 
Tilda and old grandmother. The slender, pale Nan- 
na, quiet and pensive like a moon-lit night in 
August in contrast with her elder sister, who was 
the sunny June morning, seated herself at the 
front side of the table, where chairs were placed 
in readiness for Father and Gunnel. 

It was real coffee this, clear and delicious, 
with good, home baked coffee bread and thick 
cream, quite different from the nearly colorless 
decoction which with dry bread had served as 
breakfast for Judith. 

During the serving of the coffee Ivarson him¬ 
self entered. He was a powerfully built, broad- 
shouldered man, with curly hair and a smile that 
clearly showed whence Gunnel had gotten hers. He 
gave the deeply courtesying guest a warm hand- 


30 


THE GOLD MINE 


shake which showed that he already knew “what 
manner of spirit she was of.” 

How good she felt in this family circle, where 
the warmest love and sympathy seemed to rule, 
from the old gray haired grandmother to the little 
Ivar, who toodled along on his chubby, two-year- 
old legs. The six-year old Lydia was much taken 
up with Whitis and Vega and was particularly 
amused with the success she had in serving coffee 
and bread td the pretty white cat, a thing that would 
not go at all with the whimsical Vega. The elder 
sons, Yngve and Bjorn, herded the cows on Myr- 
vallen, and their shouts and boyish laughter could 
be heard through the windows. 

“How do you like the place, Mr. Ivarsson?” 
inquired Judith. 

“I think we will like it all right when we get 
settled down,” he replied. “But it is sad that, as 
they tell us, there are not many around here who 
are believers, neither is there any meeting-house 
here, accordiing to what I have heard. I suppose 
it is far between the times when there is any 
preaching in the neighborhood, or how is it, Miss 
Judith?” 

“Don’t call me Miss Judith! It sounds like a 
nickname. Just call me Judith, ‘Dressmaker’ 
Judith.” 

“Oh yes, but the surname?” 

Judith colored. 


THE GOLD MINE 


31 


‘‘There is no need of any surname; say simply 
Judith.” 

“But at any rate you do not look like a com¬ 
mon peasant girl. There is something refined about 
you that assures one ...” 

“Oh, far from it! But your daughters look a 
good deal more refined,” replied Judith in some 
bewilderment. 

“My girls are as honorable as peasant girls 
ought to be, but there are no particularly refined 
manners about them.” 

Gunnel laughed, but Nanna shrugged her shoul¬ 
ders a trifle, without changing a muscle in her face. 

“Nor me!” replied Judith. 

“But you are not a peasant girl; anybody can see 
that,” insisted the head of the family. 

“I was born in G. I moved here when I was 
twenty and some years—so it seems to me city 
airs ought to have disappeared by this time.” 

“Yes—it is peculiar about this, but nevertheless 
one can see that you have not come of a peasant 
family.” 

“You got away from the subject, Father,” in¬ 
terrupted Gunnel, who saw that the conversation 
was painful to Judith. 

“Oh, not a great deal. I have it in mind just 
the same.” 

“It was I who talked away the subject,” said 
the pale seamstress apologetically. “It is seldom a 
preacher straggles as far as to this place. And if 


32 


THE GOLD MINE 


it ever happens it is no easy matter for him to get 
a half for a prayer meeting—and then to get away 
safe and sound. This is a fearfully dark place. ,, 

“I suppose you have a sewing circle at any 
rate?” ventured Gunnel. 

“I should say not! Who would go there ?” 

“You don’t say! Are there no Christians here 
at all?” 

“A few. But we live so far apart.” 

“Don’t you know of any girls or wives, who 
are believers and would be willing to devote some 
of their time to work for the Lord?” 

“The commissioner’s wife in Markerud, but she 
lives five miles from here, and two girls from 
Skuggvik. Also Major Hagerborg’s housekeeper 
and dairywoman. But they would scarcely be per¬ 
mitted to take part in anything like that.” 

“Skuggvik? Isn’t that the manor that lies to 
the west by the lake?” asked Ivarsson. “That must 
be a large place.” 

“Yes, there are a lot of people but no believers 
except the two girls I mentioned.” 

“Are they really converted and godly?” 

“Without any doubt. There is also a poor girl 
Maja Lisa at Sorknatten, who is perhaps the fore¬ 
most, because she is one of the last.” 

“How so? What do you mean?” 

“She is poorly gifted intellectually, but all the 
richer with regards to the heart and the spirit. 
She is my best friend.” 


The gold mine 


33 


“How gratifying, Judith! Then we are already 
seven or eight, and that is not so little, to begin 
with, and soon we will be more. Let us start a 
sewing circle, you and I, Judith,” said Gunnel ca¬ 
ressingly. “Hasn’t the commissioner’s wife a horse, 
so that she can drive over here once in a while? 
And the girls at the manor ...” 

“It’s of no use to figure on them. How would 
they dare to ask for anything like that, and when 
would they find time?” 

“At home in Sandum the maids at a manor had 
one afternoon each in the week to employ as they 
thought best. Have they not the same privilege 
here?” 

“I believe it is that way here too. But if the 
two are free at the same time is uncertain.” 

“But they can no doubt obtain the favor. Do 
you know, Judith, we shall make an attempt to 
pull them out of the shade and let the sun shine on 
them—the sun of Christ’s love—so they can feel 
how sweet it is to do something for Him. We 
will start a sewing circle here next week, and you 
shall be the leader.” 

“Yes, that plan would be more than good, if it 
were only possible,” sighed Judith, “but to make 
me the leader will never do. It might happen that 
I just that evening could be absolutely prevented 
from being at hand—for you must know that it is 
my customers and not I that command my time. 


34 


THE GOLD MINE 


And as far the Skuggvik girls, I dare not entertain 
any great plans concerning them.” 

“You see they will all have to give in. We will 
command in the name of the Lord and operate as 
regular field marshals. No one gains anything 
who does not venture anything. If the girls have 
a will, they will dare a struggle with obstacles of 
whatever kind they may be, whether they come 
from superiors or comrades. You ask them to 
come here Sunday afternoon, then we will tell 
them of our plans. Shall we not?” 

It was in her gentle, playful manner that the 
young girl sought to interest her new acquaintance 
for a work which she had not even thought of and 
which she did not regard as practicable; but she 
felt that she stood under an influence which she 
could not escape. 

“I suppose we shall have to try,” she said and 
smiled at Gunnel’s smiling face. 

The latter seated herself again, and her some¬ 
what excited look gave place to the usual calm 
expression. 

During the whole conversation Nanna had not 
uttered a word. Quiet and inaccessible she evinced 
not the slightest interest in the subject which was 
discussed with such ardor, and her large grayish 
eyes were never once fixed on any of the conversers 
but immovably directed forward with an almost 
clairvoyant expression. 

What lay in this gaze? What occupied her 


THE GOLD MINE 


35 


thoughts as she sat dumb and pale as a statue 
in the midst of these interested faces and this brisk 
interchange of ideas? 

Judith could not help wondering. It seemed as if 
the girl’s persistent silence had spoken louder to 
her than the words of the others and the glazed 
look in these large, quiet eyes had almost a mag¬ 
ical effect on her impressive mind. 

These eyes—they were only seemingly calm. 
There lay something in their depths—something 
unexplored as a riddle. Of this Judith was fully 
convinced. 

How unlike the other children! Sound, strong, 
and blooming they all gave evidence of an inex¬ 
haustible supply of good humor and energy, for 
which the young girl did not seem to have the 
slightest affinity. 

“Isn’t Nanna feeling well?” Judith finally 
asked in an attempt to break the spell. 

The girl shrugged her shoulders and replied 
mechanically: “Oh yes, tolerably,” without altering 
look or posture. 

“My poor little paleface! She has never been 
quite as strong as the others. But she will be, the 
doctor has assured us,” remarked Ivarsson, laying 
his arm across her shoulder and gazing into her 
eyes. The girl’s expression of countenance re¬ 
mained unchanged. 

Just then the door was hastily opened by one 
of the boys, who handed a letter to the silent sister. 


36 


THE GOLD MINE 


She opened the letter with the same indifferent 
air and glanced through it, at the same time placing 
a medical prescription beside her coffee cup. 

“What does the doctor say?” asked her mother, 
after a fruitless attempt to guess the nature of the 
contents by the girl’s expression of countenance. 

“That I must go out and take exercise,” was 
the curt reply. 

“Doesn’t he give you other advice besides?” 
asked the father. 

“He advises me to go out and take exercise.” 

“Doesn’t he say anything about what is harm¬ 
ful for you to eat? Are you allowed to drink cof¬ 
fee?” It was Grandmother who asked. 

“He says that I must go out and take exercise,” 
she replied with a somewhat louder voice. 

“Doesn’t he say that you will soon get well?” 
spoke little Lydia’s childishly caressing voice, as 
she came and laid her chubby arms in the sister’s 
lap. 

“He says that I must go out and take exercise,” 
was the reply which she, too, received. 

Ivarsson took the letter and read it through. 

“This doctor is a man of sense. He doesn’t 
say very much, but one can read between the lines 
that he has good hopes for our little girl. I will 
send the prescription to the drug-store at once.” 

All arose from the table, and after a while Ju¬ 
dith remembered that it was time for her to return 
to her room. 


THE GOLD MINE 


37 


“Oh by no means—what’s your hurry? Indus¬ 
trious as an ant! Give the sewing-machine a rest 
and stay and have a little supper with us! I thought 
of asking if my girls might come one week each 
and learn to sew dresses and things like that. They 
are not backward, either one of them. Both of 
them can sew, but you know there is a difference 
between what one picks up and what one is taught. 
Will you let them?” 

“Yes, by all means, with the greatest pleasure!” 

“All right, then. Gunnel will come to-morrow.” 

The proposition filled the heart of the lonely 
seamstress with a hitherto unknown joy. She was 
to have the whole sunshine with her for a whole 
week. Then the moonshine was to come—and she 
wondered how it would feel—and yet she was not 
particularly afraid of ghosts. 

Nanna seated herself by the window with her 
crocheting, and Gunnel accompanied her mother 
into the kitchen, where they prepared a splendid 
luncheon. Coffee with biscuits was deemed insuf- 
cient for an evening repast in this well apportioned 
home. 

Ivarsson went out to do his chores, and the old 
grandmother seated herself beside Judith, who 
took some ruffling from her handbag, and, after 
the fashion of old women, began to ask questions 
about this and that. 

Judith was interested by this new manner of 
life, to which she was so unaccustomed. But she 


38 


THE GOLD MINE 


felt something like a chill come over her from the 
silent girl by the window, who, absorbed in herself, 
with rare swiftness caused one projection after 
another to spring into existence on the fine lace 
she was crocheting, and who all the time appeared 
as an alien element in the family. 

Gunnel came from the kitchen and spread the 
table with a snow white, home-woven linen table 
cloth, after which she helped her mother in with 
a tray, filled with all kinds of good eatables. 

The father came in from the threshing-floor 
and the boys from the pasture, and all partook 
with good appetite of the fine luncheon, with the 
exception of Nanna, who ate but little, and only 
of the dairy food. It made a queer impression— 
both pleasant and discouraging—on the lean 
seamstrees, to see all this extravagance. How 
carefully must she not measure and weigh the 
little crumbs which she had at her command, in 
order to make them go as far as possible! How 
different this was! 

In the mean time the conversation was again 
brought to bear on the religous state of the com¬ 
munity and what the Christians must do to spread 
the knowledge of Jesus Christ among the ignor¬ 
ant population, who were groping in darkness. 
Here many vineyard workers were required. No 
one who is a partaker of the divine nature and 
of the Holy Ghost must hold aloof and pretend 
that he can do nothing, for it is Christ in us and not 


THE GOLD MINE 


39 


we ourselves who possesses both power and wis¬ 
dom to work for the reclaiming of the erring ones. 
It is Christ in us and not we ourselves who is to 
gain the victory over the power of unbelief and 
sin. No Christian has received less than one talent 
to make use of—and our talent will also bring in¬ 
terest. This was Ivar Ivarsson’s decided opinion, 
and contradictions were of no avail. All had some 
object to strive for. Ivarsson projected the build¬ 
ing of a meeting-house and made inquires of Ju¬ 
dith as to how many members from far and near 
they could count on that would support the project, 
and wrote down their names and addresses. Mother 
Ivarsson, who had been president of the aid society 
in Sandum, wished to establish such a society as 
soon as possible. Gunnel, who advocated the Sun¬ 
day school, took for granted that Judith would 
enter with heart and soul into its activity. 

The sewing circle was to gather for the first 
time—and perhaps every week for some time to 
come—at Ivarsson’s, likewise the Sunday school. 
All, even the little boys and little Tydia, were glad 
as if they were to have some real great fun for 
themselves. All except Nanna, who sat there quiet 
and with an expression that no one could read. 

Yet no one seemed to pay any attention to her 
silence—they were all so accustomed to it—but 
all treated her with encouraging tenderness. 

The twilight began to fall, and the moon, which 


40 


THE GOLD MINE 


still struggled with the dying daylight, already 
shed a broad, pale silver ribbon into the big room. 

“Nanna, did not the doctor say that you should 
go out and take exercise in the open air?—you 
are not obeying orders. This evening the weather 
is the lovliest that you could wish for,” said the 
father and pinched his pale daughter playfully un¬ 
der the chin. 

Nanna had during the spirited conversation 
among the others drawn closer and closer to the 
place where Judith sat. 

“I will wait till Judith goes; then Gunnel and I 
can go with her and go out in the beautiful moon¬ 
light,” replied the girl and rose from her seat, sud¬ 
denly and unexpectedly to throw her arms around 
Judith’s neck. 

She had not spoken so much during the whole 
time, and her words and conduct made a peculiar 
impression on Judith’s sensitive mind. 

“Very well, then we must not tarry long, for 
the evenings are chilly,” she replied. 

“Let us have something for our souls first,” 
smiled Ivarsson, taking the Bible from the shelf. 
There was a fervent devotional spirit in the little 
circle, and a spiritual vigor that filled the soul of 
the lonely seamstress with a mighty foretaste of 
what eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have 
entered into the heart of man, the things which 
God hath prepared for them that love Him. 

Gunnel and Nanna dressed for their promenade, 


THE GOLD MINE 


41 


while Judith took leave of the rest, but when they 
came out on the veranda the evening breeze blew 
brisk and cool into their faces. 

“You have entirely too little on, my dear Ju¬ 
dith. I will go in and fetch a shawl for you,” said 
Gunnel and hastened back into the house. 

They stood on the stone steps, and the moon 
poured a magic silver halo around Nanna’s pale 
face. Judith eyed her sorrowfully. She felt 
sympathy, mixed with a certain respect, for this 
uncommunicative young creature—a mere child as 
yet. 

“I suppose you, Nanna, are also a child of God,” 
she said, prompted by a sudden, half unconscious 
impulse. 

“No!” 

There lay something decided, repelling, in this 
no. 

Judith was amazed. 

“But I suppose you will be soon.” 

“The future will show, if I am to have any 
future,” she replied in the same accents. 

“Nanna!” someone called from the home, and 
the girl hastened in. 

Judith felt surprised and almost bewildered. 
Presently Gunnel appeared in the doorway. 

“What is the matter with you? You stand here 
and look like a living question mark in the moon¬ 
light,” she said in her merry way. 


42 


THE GOLD MINE 


“Yes,” replied Judith, catching her breath. “I 
was so utterly amazed. I asked if Nanna was a child 
of God, and she replied that she was not. Can 
that be possible?” 

A shadow of earnestness fell on the young, 
radiant face. 

“Nanna is a closed jewel-casket, the contents of 
which will glitter and sparkle as soon as the sun 
shines on them, but to which no one as yet has the 
key. You see, this key must be of gold, and the 
gold is still hidden in the ore of an unworked gold 
mine—and this gold mine stands here before my 
eyes.” 

Judith was still more amazed than she had been 
before, for the voice appeared to her to be not 
that of Gunnel—the cheerful, openhearted Gunnel, 
but that of some entirely different personality— 
a prophetess—and the words impressed her as if 
Gunnel had been one. Her heart said yea and 
amen. There was something “mystical” about Gun¬ 
nel, just as her father had said, and Judith in¬ 
voluntarily thought of the daughters of Philip the 
Evangelist, “virgins who prophecied.” 

Now Nanna came out on the veranda carefully 
wrapped, and a solicitous, motherly “Don't stay out 
too long,” followed her from within the house. 

The moonbeams glittered in the short, dewy 
grass on the lawn, and the evening was lovely in 
spite of the chill. Gunnel talked warmly and 
energetically of that which most interested her, 


THE GOLD MINE 


43 


and her plans irresistibly carried Judith along. Nan- 
na, who had tucked her arm under Judith’s and 
snuggled close to her as if she would like to steal 
into her heart, did not say much; but her pointed, 
somewhat abrupt remarks gave Judith to under¬ 
stand that if she spoke little, she thought more. 

In order that Nanna might get sufficient exer¬ 
cise they walked along the country road toward 
Skuggvik, which lay but a short distance from 
Hedeberga. 

The girls walked in silence quite a while and 
close together, and the moon threw long shifting 
shadows of their forms ahead of them on the 
broad highway, which, straight and smooth, lay 
between fenced fields and wooded pastures. The 
lake glittered forth like a blue mottled silken cloth, 
inlaid with silver. 

“How beautiful it must be here during sun¬ 
light ! But perhaps it is the weird moonlight that 
makes everything look so romantic. When you 
get time, Judith, you must go with us and help to 
pick a suitable location for our meeting-house. ,, 

“You expect too much of me, my dear Gunnel. 
It will no doubt be best if they do it themselves.” 

“But you have a more cultured taste than any 
of us, and you are bound to be very much interested. 
We expect much of you, as you will know.” 

“Don’t do that, Gunnel. I have no qualifica¬ 
tions whatever for becoming what you expect me 
to be.” 


44 


THE GOLD MINE 


“You don’t know that yet. No one knows how 
much fine metal a gold mine contains before one 
has penetrated into its interior and begun to take 
out the ore. Hush! We are meeting somebody.” 

“I actually believe it is the girls from Skugg- 
vik, the ones I have talked about. That’s what it 
is! They no doubt are coming to see me. They 
call on me now and then.” 

“That’s fine! Surely God has put it in their 
minds to come tonight. Now we will try to catch 
them by strategem. You introduce us to each 
other, will you?” 

“What is this? Is Judith out for a walk this 
moonlight evening? That is something unusual.” 

“Yes, I have encountered a power against which 
all resistance is useless. These are my new neigh¬ 
bors, Gunnel and Nanna Ivarsson, daughters of my 
new landlord. Justina Ringblom, Malla Soder.” A 
few warm handshakes, and the acquaintance was 
made. 

Immediately the sewing circle became the topic 
for discussion, and the girls from the manor were 
delighted with the project—if it were only possible 
to join! 

But they would try. They agreed to pray God 
to incline the hearts of those who exercised 
authority over them to give them liberty one eve¬ 
ning in the week to attend the sewing circle. 

“But it is so usual for them to consider that we 


THE GOLD MINE 


45 


usually stay in, although the others go out as they 
like. But wouldn’t it be fine!” 

Yes, they would all four pray. 

When Judith and her company had bidden one 
another good night and she inserted the key in her 
door, Whitis sat outside and waited patiently. 

How different it was to go to rest now from 
what it had been before. But sleep would not visit 
her couch. Her mental faculties had been too much 
aroused to be calmed all at once. But they were only 
pleasant experiences she had had this day. It was 
indeed a momentous turning point in her life, but 
still—it had brought something unharmonious into 
her sentimental world—a string had been touched 
that produced discordant sounds and marred the 
symphony. 

She had gotten into a circle of warm, loving 
sisters and brethren in the faith, who without ex¬ 
ception had shown her, the lonely worker, the most 
considerate love and familiarity. A new and wide 
vista had opened before her vision, with the 
greatest and serenest possibilities, in a light that 
nearly blinded her—a light that should disperse the 
dense shadows that for centuries had hung over this 
locality, so that Christian activity here also might 
make headway. 

But it had come so suddenly and she still per¬ 
ceived, as it were, the hum of a new era, an echo 
of one project after another, and the different voices 
still sounded in her ears, urging active measures 


46 


THE GOLD MINE 


on her part and making her responsible for their 
success. She had often enough inwardly murmured 
at her lot as being a superflous, neglected creature, 
with no other purpose in life than to struggle for 
her own useless existence. But now she had learned 
that she was a cog in the great machinery that is 
called Work for Christ, and that she had no right 
to hold aloof, no matter how the commencing move¬ 
ment should wear on her personal self. 

It was as if the power of the energy of her 
new friends could have crushed her. She felt 
powerless, reduced to nothing under the burden of 
the many demands which this new life work placed 
on her. Neither could she escape the unpleasant 
feeling that the zeal of her new friends implied a 
silent accusation against her because she had 
hitherto stood as an inactive worker looking at 
the dismal field where souls are lost in darkness 
and misery, and where she had allowed the dark¬ 
ness to encroach without endeavoring to spread 
light around her. There were heart beatings and 
anxiety, but also sighs, tears, and prayers. She 
wanted to excuse herself on the plea of her own in¬ 
significance and helplessness, but that gave her no 
peace. There was nothing to do but to shoulder her 
guilt and pray for forgiveness for her inactive, and 
selfish life. Not till she had abandoned all attempts 
at selfjustification and offered herself to do the will 
of God, did she feel at ease, and the Spirit of God 
whispered in her soul: “He giveth power to the 


THE GOLD MINE 


47 


faint, and to them that have no might He increaseth 
strength.” “My power is made perfect by weak¬ 
ness.” 

A sweet peace stole over her, and she fell asleep 
as quietly as a little tired bird under the soft wing 
of its mother. 


FOURTH CHAPTER 
The Sunlight Week 

^S^CjMEN Judith opened her eyes at her usual 
Iff early morning hour, they were meet 
<1(3 by a brilliant sunlight that broke 
4? through the thin window shade over the 
scantily furnished room. All dark clouuds had also 
passed from her spiritual horizon and there was sun 
and summer in her heart. Her whole life had 
assumed a different aspect from what it had before. 
It held for her also an amount of worth and beauty 
which she had never before dared to picture to her¬ 
self. Not until now did she understand the happi¬ 
ness of living for Him who died and rose even for 
her and it was a real thanksgiving which she this 
day offered up to her God. 

Neither was her everyday life, with the mo¬ 
notonous, tiresome work of sewing henceforth to 
be as sunless as before. The great sunlight was 
this week to share in her work, and while they 
were busily at work measuring, cutting, stitching 
and ruffling, they would confer regarding all the 
newly hatched schemes for carrying on the mis¬ 
sionary work. 

But she ought to invite her new scholar to fore¬ 
noon coffee! 



48 



THE GOLD MINE 


49 


It was a disconcerting thought in the midst of 
the newly awakened joy. 

Her purse was completely empty, and the last 
coffee beans had been used up for her and her room 
mate on the forenoon of yesterday. There was 
enough left for breakfast for her, besides two small 
pieces of sugar in the bowl, that was all. It was 
disheartening. 

‘‘What! Is Gunnel here already?” she thought, 
almost in a fright, as she heard swift steps on the 
stairway. No, it was not Gunnel, although the 
pace was like hers; instead it was Malla Soder 
from the manor, who, red faced and in a hurry, 
came in to the half dressed seamstress without 
knocking. 

“Dear me, how I have run! Do you know, 
Judith, the major’s wife has completely forgotten 
to pay for the silkdress which you altered before 
she made the trip to the coast. You remember she 
promised she would pay you on her return and, 
just think, she forgot it; and she just happened to 
remember it when I mentioned that you had a new 
landlord and landlady. She most humbly begs your 
pardon. Here are five crowns—there should be 
some interest, she said, because you have had to 
wait so long. And then she bids you accept a few 
rolls—we baked yesterday—and, would you believe 
it, she didn’t make any fuss at all when Justina 
and I spoke about the sewing circle. ‘Judith is a 


50 


THE GOLD MINE 


sensible girl, and her company can hardly be any¬ 
thing but all right for you/ she said.” 

“But Miss Diven, what do you suppose she 
thinks?” 

“Oh, she!” Malla made a significant motion 
with her head. “You see, I was smart enough to 
go to the major’s wife first—and then Miss Diven 
had nothing to say.” 

“Do you pray for your ladies, Malla?” 

“I gues I do! And the uglier Miss Diven is, the 
more I think I have cause to pray for her. But 
for goodness’ sake, why don’t you tell me to go?” 

Thus God’s faithfulness had once more put 
Judith’s unbelief to shame. And this to her great 
joy. Now she had the most delicious coffee rolls 
to offer her sunflower, and coffee and sugar could 
be had by the wholesale in the store down by the 
Post office. She could easily get there and back 
before nine. 

When Gunnel came, the scent of freshly roasted 
coffee was noticable far out in the corridor, “and 
that is the best aroma I know of,” she said with 
hilarity. 

“Those are finer cakes than ours, without envy 
be it said. Have you baked them yourself?” asked 
Gunnel, when Judith at eleven had spread her little 
coffee table in the most attractive way possible. 

“How you talk! When would I have time for 
anything like that ? And where should I bake such 
cakes, say?” 


THE GOLD MINE 


51 


“But I suppose you know how?” 

“Know how! It's no very big trick—but there 
are certain things that are necessary.” 

“No doubt you know a lot that I have no idea 
about. And such a fine taste you have in every¬ 
thing. One sees that as soon as one comes into 
this room with all its little attractions. You look 
like a cultured person, and no doubt you are, al¬ 
though you don’t want to let on that you are.” 

“Now don’t make fun of me, Gunnel. You 
know as well as I that I am nothing and am good 
for nothing. I am nothing but a poor snail that 
prefers to withdraw into its own shell.” 

“A snail!—pshaw! Then I know better what 
you are.” 

“Don’t talk about the gold mine again, Gunnel! 
It spoils all the joy I feel at having you with me. 
It seems to me you ought to be too conscientious 
to flatter like that.” 

“Flatter! Oh, nothing of the kind! If a thing 
is well done and some one says it is, he does not 
flatter; he merely gives the outhor due recognition. 
And if I say that this thing has not yet been put 
to proper use, that is not flattery, but the reverse— 
isn’t that so?” 

“Yes—,” said Judith, slowly and thoughtfully. 
“I am willing enough to do what I can and as the 
Lord gives grace to do—but don’t count on me— 
don’t expect too much of me.” 


52 


THE GOLD MINE 


“That is just what we are going to do. You 
sang when I came in.” 

“Sang!—Yes—I have accustomed myself to 
humming when I sew; it is company in solitude.” 

“And what a pretty voice you have! That is 
something I don’t have.” 

“Oh, I guess it is nothing to brag about. I 
scarcely hear myself how I sing, but I like the 
words in some of the songs. They are appropriate 
for me, and I need them; God and I communicate 
by means of song.” 

“Now I suppose you think I want to flatter you 
on account of your pretty voice. But that is so far 
from my purpose that I do not even congratulate 
you on having a good companion in it, although I 
admit that even that should be appreciated. But 
now I thought more of what use God can make of 
your song than of yourself. Haven’t you thought 
of making your voice a sacrificial gift to your Lord 
and Master?” 

“Sacrifice it! Quit singing?” 

Gunnel could not hold back a good-natured 
laugh. 

“No, indeed you are to sing—sing with your 
thoughts on Him who has given you the gift of 
song. It is a noble gift, and if you offer it to the 
Lord, He will sanctify it, so that you will be per¬ 
mitted to sing the gospel into many a hardened 
heart, which otherwise would never be reached by 
the grace of God’s salvation.” 


THE GOLD MINE 


53 


'‘How sanguine you are, Gunnel! You believe 
me capable of accomplishing great things.” 

“Yes, you will accomplish great things. Great 
things are in most cases composed of mere little 
things. I once saw at an industrial exposition a 
cloth which was the chef (Poeuvre of the exposition 
and won a great prize. And yet this cloth was 
composed throughout of small pieces of silk—so 
small, that they were good for nothing else. But 
thanks to ingenious laying out and a most tasty 
arrangement of color this cloth was a complete 
masterpiece, winning universal admiration—not¬ 
withstanding it was all patchwork. ‘Great things 
are born of silence/ says the proverb, and all work 
is great if the motive power is faith, which worketh 
through love.” 

“But my dear Gunnel, what kind of patchwork 
shall I do that will amount to a great work? You 
will have to tell me that.” 

“You can do more good in our sewing circle 
than any of the rest of us. You have what we 
partly lack, taste and skill, and in addition inge¬ 
nuity. For instance, look at your table cloths, 
shelves, and many other ornamental articles. Who 
among us could produce such pretty things with 
such simple material? Then you have your gift 
of song; we need it at our prayer meetings and 
in our Sunday school. Children generally love to 
sing, and they can learn from you. And you read 
so well; I heard that this morning. That comes 


54 


THE GOLD MINE 


handy at the sewing meetings and when we visit 
the sick.” 

“Say, but stop now, Gunnel!” 

“Ah now, don't interrupt me! You have doubt¬ 
less great knowledge of the Scriptures. Ah yes— 
it will be of use at our young people’s meetings. 
You see, the great work will soon be ready to start. 
Yet it will be best for you to view it as mere patch- 
work. But, it must be an affair of the heart, a 
reciprocal action between you and God, just as the 
steam power is the result of a reciprocal action 
between the fire and the machinist.” 

Judith sighed deeply. Again she felt helpless 
before a superior power, a demand that threatened 
to overwhelm her instead of imparting to her the 
requisite strength. 

She told Gunnel about it, and a tear dropped on 
the black cloth in her hands. 

Gunnel suddenly looked up, and the eager ex¬ 
pression in her eyes became mild and humble. 
“My dear Judith, forgive me! You are older than 
I, and I talk as if I were wiser than you. But I 
come from a neighborhood where Christian activity 
is highly developed and had the steam up, as they 
say, and I may be too eager to get it up here also. 
But I will take nothing back of what we expect 
of you. You are a gold mine, no matter how much 
you object to the epithet, and the Owner of the 
gold mine will no doubt see to it that the gold will 
be brough to light. The great power must be of 


THE GOLD MINE 


55 


God and not of us. His power is made perfect 
by weakness.” 

Again the words had a quietening effect on Ju¬ 
dith. She smiled and looked happy, yes happy, 
when it occurred to her that her beloved Lord 
would say of her as He said of Mary of Bethany: 

“She hath done what she could.” 

Gunnel was not a slow scholar. She had prac¬ 
tised up well by herself. But with her fine intui¬ 
tion of her teacher’s sense of thoroughness she was 
very particular to ask her and conform to her 
method, and the work sped swiftly beneath the 
deft fingers, while a spiritual conversation was car¬ 
ried on between the two workers. The conversa¬ 
tion was not ordinary girls’ talk and foolish 
nonsense, accompanied by silly laughter. Neither 
was it any whispered gossip with ever anon an in¬ 
junction not to tell any one, but it was a conversa¬ 
tion full of spirit and life—they were words which 
were to bear their harvest of deeds wrought in God. 

Judith’s later life had been a continued longing 
for some one with whom she could feel a sym¬ 
pathetic relation—some one who could not merely 
awaken her interest, but who would feel the same 
way for her. This person was seated beside her 
now ... 

There is implanted in every womanly nature 
a strong desire to surrender herself to some one— 
surrender her warmest emotions, her noblest gifts, 


56 


THE GOLD MINE 


her finest instincts—for whom her inner world is 
to unfold its most fragrant blossoms. But there is 
also a craving to get something in return. There 
must be some sunshine to call forth a world of 
flowers with color and fragrance, if it is not to 
wither and dwindle away in the very bud. Now that 
day had arrived. Her heart's desire had been fulfilled 
to such a degree, that all seemed to her like a dream. 
She felt that she was better understood by her new 
friend than she had been by her former acquaint¬ 
ances. They were so unlike, they and she, just as 
if they had not been of the same nature. She could 
love them but never felt quite satisfied with their 
company. Now she felt satisfied, but she also 
seemed to notice that demands were put upon her 
which she could not meet. It was evident that 
Gunnel raised the telescope too high—or else she, 
in some unaccountable way, knew more about the 
contents of the “gold mine” than the gold mine 
itself. However, life had now won a higher signif¬ 
icance, and in the company of this creature, brim¬ 
ful of life, with sun and warmth in her soul, who 
nevertheless in all was guided and directed by the 
Spirit of God, it was as if her youth had returned, 
and the oppressive thought that she had “passed 
the line” gave way to renewed vitality and energy. 
During the night, when she lay awake from over¬ 
exertion, dreary thoughts, like ominous clouds, 
would often plunge her soul into darkness, but in 
the morning, when the door was opened by “the 


THE GOLD MINE 


57 


golden-haired prophetess/” sunlight and spring 
rushed with her into the room, and then it became 
light in her heart also. 

“Listen, Judith, you will have to move one of 
these days,” said Gunnel one day, quite seriously, 
when the machines had been humming so inces¬ 
santly that conversation had been impossible. 

“Move!” Judith's face turned if possible still 
paler than before. “Do you mean that?” 

“I only mean what I have heard father and 
mother say. They think that this old building is 
only a detriment to the premises and is absolutely 
of no use. I think Father intends to tear it down 
next month and use the old lumber, some of which 
seems to be still sound, for building a nice little 
summer kitchen. That will be a better idea—or 
what do you think?” 

She got no reply to her question. 

To be sure it would be a nice thing for the 
owner and occupant of the premises not to have 
to see the ugly old structure, which stood there 
like a phantom from a bygone age. But it had 
been the home of the poor seamstress for many 
years, and she had become attached to this home, 
just as her companion Whitis, who had not been 
forgotten by the former occupants, as she supposed, 
but been taken to the new place, where, however, 
he did not feel at home, and from which, following 
his inclination, he had returned alone to the old 
home. 


58 


THE GOLD MINE 


Whither should she go, poor Judith? 

Gunnel had to wait for a reply. She looked up 
from her work and saw the significant pallor of 
her friend’s face. 

“Judith,” she said tenderly, “you must not 
think for a moment that Father would drive you 
out and leave you without a home.” 

“I don’t believe that you want to make me 
homeless, but—I shall never feel as much at home 
anywhere else as here in Hedeberga. It is as if I 
had grown fast here,” she said with an attempt at 
smiling, but the smile vanished in tears. 

“But don’t you think that you will feel just 
as much at home in the west gable room up in the 
main building? Father has had carpenters there 
the whole week to finish it, and to-day the painter 
came. The wall paper samples are here, and this 
evening you must go with me up and select the 
wall paper you like best.” 

Always the same pace. There was nothing for 
Judith to do but allow herself to be pulled along. 

“I fear it will too fine and expensive for me,” 
whispered Judith. “I cannot offer so low a rent 
for that large, fine room as for this.” 

“Now don’t indulge in any needless worrying. 
The rent will be the same as here—I know that— 
and now you know it too. Won’t that be nice?” 

“But won’t you need that room yourselves?” 

“I guess we have room enough. We have the 
sitting room, the bed room, and the kitchen down- 


THE GOLD MINE 


59 


stairs. And I suppose you have seen that Father 
has brought home lumber for an addition on the 
other side of the house? Haven’t you? Well, there 
is to be kitchen, and the kitchen we now have is 
to be our sitting room, it is so large and light. 
And then Nanna and I will have the gable room 
opposite, which is also ready for the painter. I 
think it will be very nice, don’t you?” 

“The best is good enough, and it isn’t I that 
will be losing. But can I take Whitis with me? 
And then—just think what a running there will be 
up and down the stairs by my customers!” 

“How many things you have to worry about! 
We have thought of both the cat and the customers 
and do not intend to drive any of them away. 
Everything is clear. I can just see your nice 
little things in the new, light room with its white 
floor and tall bay window.” 

“But—stove!” 

“Oh, you can roast your coffee down in the 
kitchen. And then, listen: You will get an oil 
stove of the kind that doesn’t smoke or make any 
soot; there will be one put in as a part of the 
furniture of the room. And you will have a large, 
nice pantry with shelves to put things on and a 
neat little door opening into the pantry; and in 
there you can cook both coffee and food. On the 
other side is a clothes closet. Could you want any¬ 
thing better?” 


60 


THE GOLD MINE 


“You dear folks! Who could have thought that 
I would see such bright days!” 

During these moments of familiar conversa¬ 
tion, at intervals during the humming of the ma¬ 
chine, and while the needles were flying like light¬ 
ning, Judith related to Gunnel the story of her life. 
It was a picture with deep shadows and scarcely 
any light point, until the light from on high finally 
shed its lustre on the scene. 

Her parents were both natives of G—. Strangers 
to the life in God, they were carried along on the 
great waves of humanity which surged about the 
breakers of worldly pleasures and indifference. 
They had been joined together more as the result 
of a thoughtless, sudden whim than of any real 
affection. She was a factory girl, was good look¬ 
ing but uneducated. He was a dock laborer who 
at time had an abundance of work and money, but 
at other times had neither. At an early age too, 
he had become a frequent visitor of low class 
taverns. Poverty, disorder, and quarrels were 
Judith’s earliest recollections from the home of 
her childhood. Fortunately Judith was the only 
child, and when she was eight years of age her 
drink-ruined father disappered from the home and 
was never heard of again. The girl was taken in 
hand by an aunt, who treated the little slender, 
timid girl with severity, but also taught her to 
love order and cleanliness and, when the girl was 
old enough, made her learn dressmaking. In 


THE GOLD MINE 


61 


the meantime her mother found employment as 
waitress at a cheap boarding house and would in 
all probability have become a moral wreck if she 
had not through a severe cold contracted an in¬ 
curable disease. She was nursed at a hospital for 
a time, but when othing more could be done for 
her there the doctors advised her to try to get out 
into the country. She had an old aunt who owned 
a cottage in this vicinity—the chimney could be 
seen yonder—and there the sick woman was al¬ 
lowed to stay in consideration of a small monthly 
payment. 

Her daughter grew into womanhood, but the 
recollections from home constantly lay as a shadow 
over her happiness and youthful gaity. Her mother 
an invalid for life! And her father? Perhaps a 
human wreck, sinking in a sea of misery or per¬ 
haps dead—the hard death of a transgressor. Here 
was a wound that never ceased to smart, and that 
could not be healed. But if her heart was capable 
of harboring a deep, silent grief it was also capable 
of other deep sentiments. And when earthly hap¬ 
piness offered itself to her in the form that for 
every young woman is the most alluring, and when 
she stood ready to stretch out her hand to receive 
it, she was informed by letter that her mother’s 
old relative had died, and that the cottage which 
she had held for life now would pass to others. 
No one would take charge of the sick woman for 
the old meager compensation. Now both feeling 


62 


THE GOLD MINE 


and reason told Judith that it devolved upon her 
to care for her mother, whom, in spite of every¬ 
thing, she had never ceased to love. But with this 
step she must give up forever the dreams of her 
youth—all her alluring prospects and all the joy 
and happiness that life seemed to have promised 
her. 

She had a very painfull struggle with her own 
heart, her selfishness, as she said, but she won a 
dearly bought victory. Then she went to her 
mother, rented this room, and toiled for her and 
herself night and day. It was here, within these 
tottering walls, that she cared for the helpless 
woman with the greatest tenderness. It was here 
that she in solitude and unseen by her mother shed 
the bitterest tears over broken promises, cold, 
heartless, selfishness, and a lost ideal. Here also 
the light from above finally dawned upon her soul, 
and here she saw her mother rejoice in the same 
light. 

Here, under this sombre roof, which threatened 
to fall down and crush her, she was enabled to 
walk in the light and have fellowship with the 
Father and with His Son, while the peace of God 
made her dreary home a radiant palace. But here 
she also had to pass through the valley of the 
shadow of death. Here she had to suffer privations 
until the only being for whom she had a right to 
live and care passed from the sorrows of earth 
and, liberated and cleansed, soared to where the 


THE GOLD MINE 


63 


thief on the cross enjoyed the company of his 
Savior. 

Now she was all alone in the world. It was 
then that she began to find her life useless and 
meaningless. In her heart lay a world of unde¬ 
fined feeling of warmth and self-sacrifice, a craving 
to devote herself. But no one needed this offering. 
It was a wealthy locality that she had come to, 
and the poor were well provided for by the 
municipality. It seemed to her that scarcely any¬ 
body there needed her sympathy, and she did not 
have the courage to return to her native town. 
Its memories had not yet faded from her mind. 
More and more she withdrew from the company 
of human beings and shut herself up from the out¬ 
side world. There were scarcely any real Chris¬ 
tians in the neighborhood beside her old landlord 
and landlady, and they didn’t seem to think much 
of a piety that was not inspired by the parson and 
the church. It was then she assumed that cold, 
deliberate manner which was anly a covering shell 
for a soul that thirsted for understanding and 
sympathy, and a heavy, raw mist settled down on 
her, chilling her sensibilities and shutting off the 
spiritual outlook. She had gotten into a harmful 
atmosphere. She felt and acknowledged it now; 
but if it is to become spring in nature and the snow 
is to melt, the sun must shine and shed its warmth. 

And now the sun had come and warmed up her 
frozen soul, the sun in the form of a faith-strong, 


64 


THE GOLD MINE 


warm-hearted peasant girl, who burned with zeal 
for her crucified Savior, and who with her cheer¬ 
ful, devoted Christian life taught her the secret 
of having God and having enough. 

“How did you come under conviction?” Gunnel 
once asked. 

“Small causes sometimes have great effects. In 
the busy hay season Father Swan used to hire a 
poor girl to help him. She wasn’t exactly to their 
liking, for she belonged to the erring sheep who 
went to private meetings and listened to “clandes¬ 
tine preachers.” But for all that she was not of the 
world, and therefore they tolerated her. She lived 
with her old sickly mother in a backwoods cottage 
not very far from here; in fact she lives there yet, 
although the old woman is dead. She is not very 
talented but she has a warm heart. One morning 
she came up here in the attic to hang up wet 
clothes, and while so doing she sang a song to her¬ 
self. She isn’t much of a singer, but the words, 
which she sung clearly and correctly in her best 
nasal tones, were uttered with wonderful distinct¬ 
ness and left an impression which neither time nor 
circumstances have been able to efface. Oh, it 
seems to me that I hear it yet: 

“Will you reach that home of bliss 
For the saints, I mean? 

Or will you that glory miss 
Which no eye hath seen? 


THE GOLD MINE 


65 


“Will you gain the victor’s palm 
And the harp of gold 
And depart, serene and calm, 

When your days are told?” 

"I sat quietly listening to the song as if I had 
been held by unseen fetters. Every word had a 
barb which hooked itself fast in my inmost being. 
Especially the third verse was full of darts and 
shafts for me: 

“But what gain will you receive 
From such boundless grace, 

If to some one else you leave 
Your appointed place? 

If you miss the heav’nly goal 
And rich reserved, 

Promised to the faithful soul 
By a faithful Lord? 

With your place in heaven lost, 

You have lost it all.” 

“A place in heaven, prepared for me by Jesus— 
a place which I nevertheless might miss—that was 
a new thought, a thought which had never before 
entered my mind. But now that thought dominated 
me so that I sat there both dumb and motionless. 

‘“JwcHtli, what is it you are singing?’ my mother 
asked faintly. She had been slumbering and was 
awakened by the song.’ 

“ ‘It isn’t I, Mother, it it Maja-Lisa.’ 

“Mother lay quiet a while, and Maja-Lisa had 
stopped singing but was still humming away in 
the attic. 


66 


THE GOLD MINE 


“ ‘Ask Maja-Lisa to come in and sing for me.’ 
said my mother. ‘She is religious, they say, and 
maybe she knows how a poor creature like myself 
can be saved.* 

“Never before had I heard my mother talk thus 
or express a doubt that she would be saved. Neither 
had it occurred to me that she would not be saved 
who had suffered so much. 

“I went out in the attic and asked Maja-Lisa 
to come in and sing one of her songs for my 
mother. 

“She smiled broadly, but this smile always had 
something inexpressibly good in it. 

“ ‘I am no singer,* she replied, ‘but God has 
given me so much to rejoice over that I can’t help 
singing. I shall be glad to sing for the lady, if 
she likes to hear about Jesus, because, you see, I 
don‘t sing about anything else. But now I have 
to go out in the hay, you understand, so we have to 
wait till to-night, if I may come that late.’ 

“How we both waited that day! I with a newly 
awakened uneasiness and fear, and my 'mother 
with the whole eagerness of one who is hungry 
and longs to satisfy her hunger. 

“ ‘What place was that she was singing about, 
a glorious place, which Jesus has prepared, but 
which we still may miss? Do you know anything 
about such a place, Judith?’ 

“ ‘I haven’t thought of it before, but I guess it 
is so all right,’ I said with unsteady voice. 


THE GOLD MINE 


67 


“ ‘I had a pretty home down there in G. when 
Lars was young and you, Judith, were small. I had 
a view of a pretty garden with so many flowers— 
and pretty furniture he had bought, your father. 
Then he began to drink, and I became indifferent 
and careless and so he ran away and I had to sell 
out and leave my cozy home. Since then I haven’t 
had any place of my own till you came and rented 
this room. And it is good enough for me of course. 
You have keept it clean and nice, but yet—Yes, 
if Jesus has prepared a place for me in heaven I 
don’t want to miss it, I want to get there, you 
see/ 

“How she longed and yearned, but sin had not 
yet become exceedingly great to her. 

“It was ten o’clock in the evening when Maja- 
Lisa came, warm and perspiring from her work, 
but still willing to forego her brief rest for our 
sakes. She had her hymnbook with her, and she 
was asked to sing the song concerning ‘The Place’ 
once more. Mother began to talk about how she 
longed for that place. She didn’t want to miss it. 

“Maja-Lisa made no reply to her remarks, but 
after sitting quiet and meditative a while she 
commenced to sing another song: 

“Oh, I know a land where heaven’s God 
For His loved ones hath prepared a city. 

When their bodies are laid beneath the sod, 

There He doth receive their souls in pity. 


68 


THE GOLD MINE 


Earthly woes then are dead, 

They are never touched with sadness, 

For no tears in heaven’s land are shed; 

No, they taste eternal joy and gladness. 

But alas! No man can entrance gain 

Who hath not been cleansed from sin's pollution. 

Hark, dear Soul, canst thou thy right maintain, 

Or wilt thou be left in sore confusion? 

Earthly woes,-” 

“ ‘Maja-Lisa, come down for a while!’ called old 
Stina, and she closed the book and went. 

“ T will be back soon/ she said comfortingly. 

“ ‘No one shall enter there who is not cleansed 
from the stains of sin/ repeated my poor mother 
in a hopeless voice. :I guess it’s of no use then/ 

“To tell the truth I was more worried for her 
than for myself. She was so weak, and the little 
flickering flame of life might be extinguished at 
any moment. 

“During the night her uneasiness increased and 
I did not know what to do. We had neither Bible 
nor hymn book. A church hymnal was the only 
book of a religious nature which we had. I brought 
it out and asked if I should read a hymn. 

“ ‘Yes, read one in the back part of the book, 
one that relates to persons about to die/ 

“I wasn’t at all familiar with the book, for 
neither my mother nor I had cared much for 


THE GOLD MINE 


69 


religion. I turned to Hymn No. 463 and read it 
from beginning to end: 

“Eternity! Thy length is quite appalling! 
Beginning, yet within no limits falling! 

Eternity—a time devoid of time! 

My thoughts grow dizzy as thy heights they climb. 

As long as God is God and God remaineth 
The torment of the lost its pangs retaineth 
In utter darkness, which will see no light 
As long as God is God of truth and might.” 

“Those were terrible words, so I myself thought 
in my newly awakened uneasiness. Glancing at 
my mother I perceived that she was sitting half 
upright in the bed, while her face was white as 
chalk. 

“‘What will become of me, Judith? Close the 
book. I don’t dare to hear any more. What will 
become of me?’ 

“I bitterly regretted my thoughtlessness in not 
selecting a hymn of a more consoling nature. I 
did not yet understand that the choice was not 
mine. What should I say to her who was in deep 
agony and repeatedly exclaiming: ‘What will be¬ 
come of me? How can I repent while I am lying 
here? What will become of me?’ 

“‘Dear Mother, calm yourself! You haven’t 
done more evil than many others. And you have 
suffered so long that you have surely atoned for 
your sins!* Just think how blind I was! 


70 


THE GOLD MINE 


“ ‘Worse than others! Haven’t I done more evil 
than others? You don’t know how much evil I 
have done, my dear child! Oh, if any one deserves 
to be damned it is I. Suffered, you say—how can 
that atone for my sins? The suffering I have 
brought on myself by recklessness and vice. I am 
lost.’ 

“It was heartrending to see and hear her un- 
consolable anguish and not have a comforting 
word to say. My own heart was torn with a sense 
of guilt and fear, and I dared not pray to a God 
so severe in His justice. 

“Glancing out through the window I spied 
Maja-Lisa’s red-checkered kerchief by the barn. 
She looked cheerful as usual, and I wondered 
greatly why God was Iso good to her and so angry 
with us. I didn’t understand it, you see. I opened 
the window and called her. She looked up and 
nodded pleasantly. It was as if I had beheld an 
angel when I saw her awkward figure with the 
plump, shining face. She went back into the barn, 
where she helped Stina, Mother Britta’s old maid, 
to milk the cows. How infinitely long every 
minute seemed to me till she again made her 
appearance—and then with a milk pail in each hand. 

“After a while I heard her footsteps in the stair¬ 
way, and her ruddy face with the sparkling eyes 
appeared at the door. 

“‘How is the lady to-day?’ she asked in a 


THE GOLD MINE 


71 


drawling tone, and I don’t understand how she 
could give such a touching effect to her harsh 
voice. 

“‘Poorly, my dear Maja-Lisa! I am in despair. 
I am afraid I shall never get to heaven—on account 
of the stains of sin—you know—’ 

“Her sobs shook her frame, so I thought my 
heart would break. But Maja-Lisa did not look 
sad in the least. On the contrary there was a gleam 
in her eye at times, as if she rejoiced at my 
mother’s tears. It was that wisdom which is hid¬ 
den from the wise and prudent but revealed to 
babes. 

“She drew the hymn book from her pocket and 
began to sing: 

“Lo, there is a healing, cleansing flood, 

Which can rid thy soul of sin’s pollution, 

Wash thy stains in Jesus’ precious blood, 

White as snow thou’lt be from this ablution.” 

“ ‘There is the remedy. And it helps, because 
it has helped me/ 

“ ‘But you didn’t have so much sin to account 
for as I have,’ sighed my mother. 

“ ‘Before God we are all sinners, the best as well 
as the worst, and no one has anything to boast 
of before him. There is no difference; Jesus will 
take your sins away as quickly as he took mine.’ 

“ ‘Yes, my dear Maja-Lisa, I sppose it is like 


72 


THE GOLD MINE 


that. But, you see, I should first repent and grieve 
over sin and then—* 

“ ‘By the works of the law shall no flesh be 
justified in the sight of God. But to him that 
worketh not, but believeth in Him that justifieth 
the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteous¬ 
ness/ 

“She had her New Testament with her and read 
of the sinner in the house of the pharisee. It was 
remarkable what light and clearness of thought 
that unlettered girl did have. They were our most 
pleasant moments when she came up to read, sing, 
and reason with us, for both mother and I were 
bound by unbelief and besides ignorant as heathens. 
But finally the light came to both of us. Now, what 
pleasant times we had with God and with each 
other, until God a year later took my mother away 
from me. Since then I have lived like a hermit 
and have not till now given any earnest thought 
to—” 

“That you are an unworked gold mine. Thank 
you for your story! It has made you great in my 
eyes, for it is remarkable what nobility suffering 
does bring with it . What are my experiences com¬ 
pared with yours?” 

“And still 1 you are a branch of the Vine which 
has long borne fruit, while I have produced only 
leaves.” 

“What is fruit or leaves God only knows. But 


THE GOLD MINE 


73 


we both live in God and He will, no doubt, see to 
it that we bring forth more fruit. Is Maja-Lisa 
living yet? I like her.” 

“Yes, she is living. I have sent word to her to 
come to the sewing circle next Saturday.” 


CHAPTER V, 

The Sewing Circle. 

following Saturday immediately af- 
(OVter dinner the sewing circle met for the 
VJ first time in Ivarsson’s home. The com- 
missioner’s wife in Markerud had been 
informed of it by letter from Judith, and she was 
glad of the opportunity to take part in something so 
extraordinary. Maja-Lisa from Sorknatten brought 
with her an old lame woman of the neighborhood, 
who was one of those now retired from active af¬ 
fairs, but who nevertheless was glad to be present. 
As a result of the assistance Gunnel had given dur¬ 
ing the week Judith was able to dispatch her orders 
at noon, whereupon she hastened up to cut and 
arrange the work for the sewing circle. She had 
herself bought in the store a quantity of good 
remnants for aprons, and besides each one of the 
members furnished materials for work, with the 
exception of Maja-Lisa and Mother Annika, who 
got knitting-yarn for stockings from Mother Ivars- 
son. The commissioner’s wife had brought three 
table cloths to hem. Mother Ivarsson was to sew 
a shirt of homemade muslin, and Gunnel had learnt 
from Judith how to embroider a pillow case, for 
which Nanna crocheted lace of a pretty pattern. 

74 




THE GOLD MINE 


75 


Judith intended to give the apron cloth to the girls 
from the manor, and herself commenced to sew 
on a tray cloth which she had stamped. So the 
work was in progress. But before the work com¬ 
menced in earnest Ivarsson himself came in from 
the field for the purpose of opening the meeting 
with Bible reading and prayer, invoking the bless¬ 
ing of God on the newly formed sewing circle. 

Maja-Lisa shone as a sun, and her small vivac¬ 
ious eyes beamed with happiness. Gunnel could 
not take her eyes from her where she sat by the 
fire place with a happy look on her broad face and 
with little winks and nods to Judith gave expres¬ 
sion to her delight. She was the most interesting 
person of them all. Old Annika, her neighbor and 
companion in poverty and hardship, looked sickly 
and distressed, but a bright smile now and then 
glided over her sallow, wasted features, which 
was evidence that she too appreciated God's good¬ 
ness to her. 

The commissioner's wife was a tall, handsome 
woman with dark hair and regular features, which 
gave her an aristocratic air. In her conversation 
with Ivarsson she expressed herself correctly and 
to the point and seemed accustomed to have her 
judgment pass for something. 

Ivarssons plan for the erection of a mission 
house was warmly seconded by her, although she 
did not show the interest in the project which had 
been expected from her. She was a woman of 


76 


THE GOLD MINE 


deliberate calmness and self-control and was never 
carried away by a sudden flare of enthusiasm but 
logically calculated cause and effect before she 
consented to anything. A widow of two years she 
managed her large estate with the aid of two 
young sons. The younger of them had driven her 
to Hedeberga and now sat there on a chair awk¬ 
ward and confused, as if he did not know what 
to do with his chubby self, until Yngve and Bjorn 
came in. They were a good deal younger than the 
commissioner’s son, but they were boys, and so the 
spell was broken. 

Mother Tilda was not allowed to sew many 
stitches on the shirt to-day, for all the duties of a 
hostess, with coffee and dainties, now lay on her. 
The girls should be permitted to remain at work, 
for they could accomplish more than she, as her 
eye-sight was beginning to fail. Besides she did 
not want to take Gunnel from the conversation 
on a proposed Bible text. All worldly conversa¬ 
tion, town gossip, and unkind allusions to this or 
that person were as a matter of principle excluded 
from their gathering. 

Now the coffee was brought in with fresh 
buns, tempting coffee rolls, and homemade ginger 
snaps. As a rule only three kinds of pastry were 
allowed, but what was lacking in kinds was made 
good by the size of the allowable eatables. This 
rule was adopted principally for the sake of those 
with slender means, who now and then wished to 


THE GOLD MINE 


77 


entertain the sewing circle, and also for the purpose 
of guarding against vanity on the part of the 
hostess in trying to excel others. Gunnel car¬ 
ried the coffee around on a large tray, provided 
with a cloth and a shining nickel coffee pot. The 
poor women’s eyes turned appreciatingly toward 
the inviting repast. Such a regalement was not 
of too frequent occurrence for them, and even the 
lady commissioner declared with her calm dignity 
that she had not for a long time enjoyed such excel¬ 
lent coffee. 

At six o’clock the manor girls arrived. The 
happy children! They seemed to be the most joy¬ 
ful of all, like prisoners who had unexpectedly re¬ 
gained their liberty. Few of those who enjoy the 
noble boon of liberty know how rightly to ap¬ 
preciate their state. With unmingled delight the 
two girls announced that they had permission to 
stay for the prayer meeting which was to beld af¬ 
ter the sewing circle was over. They needed no 
sewing materials. Oh no! It was a joy for them 
to sacrifice something of their own for the good 
Lord, and so they had each bought cloth and yarn 
for a spread, cream colored goods to be sewed 
with cross stitches. Patterns they had borrowed 
from no less a personage than Miss Diven. Was 
it not great? Warm coffee awaited them too. Then 
the hostess invited her guests to a “smorgasbord” 
in true country style, with all kinds of good and 
dainty things to eat. Here the hostess was not 


78 


THE GOLD MINE 


hampered by any law, except the law of love, and 
she thought that those who had come a long way 
might well need a little to eat. 

“Here now, Mother Annika, don’t cut the bread! 
Put butter enough on the bread so you can see it. 
Take some, have some veal loaf! Don’t forget ‘ost- 
kaka,’ by all means! You haven’t had any dinner 
to-day. No, no, Maja-Lisa, don’t take that little 
crumb! You ought to be able to eat some bread 
and butter after walking two miles! Don’t you 
want to taste the eggs? Please help yourself!”— 
Yes, it was a task for Mother Tilda to get her 
guests to partake of all the good things, but it 
was a delightful task at that, and in her “you’re 
welcome!” there lay a hearty hospitality. 

“Nanna, you eat only bread and butter and 
cheese. Won’t you taste your mother’s fine veal 
loaf or steak?” inquired the commissioner’s wife, 
who had her eyes open. 

“I don’t eat what reminds me of suffering crea¬ 
tures. I don’t want to live on the flesh of butchered 
animals,” replied the girl and hastily turned from 
the table. 

“She has her own ideas,” remarked Mother 
Tilda in reply to the lady’s look of surprise. 

Ever and anon Judith had to sing a song, and 
all listened attentively to her beautiful, clear voice 
and her expressive intonation. Her singing was 
particularly impressive to Maja-Lisa, who stared 
at her in wonder. She had by her singing brought 


THE GOLD MINE 


79 


Judith into the communion of saints, and now 
Judith “sang Maja-Lisa into Paradise both body 
and soul/’ she remarked in amazement. Who 
would have expected anything like that of the 
quiet, sullen seamstress? In the mean time she 
cut patterns and instructed with an energy which 
showed that she was animated by a new impulse 
of life. It was a pleasure to do something for 
the Lord who had shed an undreamt of sunshine 
over her life. 

Notice had been sent to all the surrounding 
neighbors that there would be a prayer meeting at 
Ivarsson’s at eight o’clock. Hedeberga lay in a 
populous territory, and Skuggvik had a large num¬ 
ber of working people. Curiosity was a good in¬ 
centive. The rumor that Ivarsson’s were religious 
people had swept over the community with the 
speed of the wind. Soon the large room, where 
seats had been improvised out of boards laid on 
chairs and horses, was filled to overflowing with 
tottering old men and women, middle-aged and 
young people of both sexes, and many children, 
who would not be deterred by the late hour or the 
long roads from the novel pleasure of attending a 
religious gathering of this kind. 

With the exception of Ivarsson’s, Judith, and 
Maja-Lisa, not one of them had a hymn-book. The 
meeting was therefore opened with the singing of 
a verse from the church hymnal, in which only a 
few joined carelessly. After the prayer Judith 


80 


THE GOLD MINE 


was to sing. The audience sat spellbound and 
listened openmouthed to the clear, full tones, which 
had such a pleasing quality. They called for an¬ 
other song, and it was a delight for her to sing, 
something that had not occurred since she as first 
soprano took part in a singing society in G., where 
her voice had received a certain amount of train¬ 
ing. Yes, it was a delight to sing the “sweetest 
carol ever sung, Jesus, blessed Jesus.” 

“It sounds as if she had golden strings in her 
throat,” whispered Maja-Lisa to Gunnel. 

“And she can afford it, because she is a gold 
mine,” Gunnel whispered back with a mystical 
air. 

Ivarsson arose from his chair at the table and 
looked out over the gathering. 

“My friends,” he said cordially, “we have no 
professional preacher or speaker with us this eve¬ 
ning, and for that reason you will not listen to a 
regular sermon, as you perhaps expected. But you 
shall nevertheless hear the Word of God, for 
although I cannot preach, I can read. And I will 
do so praying and hoping that the loving and 
powerful word may find open hearts where it may 
become rooted, so that it may not meet the same 
fate as the seed that was sown by the wayside or 
in stony places or among thorns, which you have 
all heard about. And if the Spirit of God gives 
me grace now and then to make a simple applica¬ 
tion of something in the text. I hope you will 


THE GOLD MINE 


81 


have no objection, and then God will bless His 
own Word, for He is no respecter of persons/* 

In a plain and easy manner he read the parable 
of the four kinds of seed bed, fervently imploring 
the presence of the Spirit, and then made pracitcal 
and pointed applications of the text. He affected 
no sermonizing, neither did he endeavor to make 
his speech conform to rules of grammar, which 
he did not in reality know, but which he guessed 
were correct. He spoke unaffectedly, convincing¬ 
ly, from the heart, as one who has evperienced 
what he spoke about, and his speech was not with¬ 
out effect. It was a speech suited to the hearers. 
That they could follow the speaker and grasp his 
meaning was evidenced by the fact that every eye 
gaze intently at him. Every one, young or old, 
fancied he spoke to him or her in particular. 

After an impressive closing admonishment and 
hymn the assembly rose, the men bowing and the 
women curtsying, and gradually the crowded house 
was emptied, each one- going to his or her own 
home, while groups here and there discussed what 
they had heard. 

The commissioner’s wife from Markerud was 
persuaded to stay over Sunday and visit the Sunday- 
School. Judith was to sing for the children and 
relate a story, and Gunnel was to study the text 
for the day with them. 

With light heart and step Judith departed to 
her room. What a week this had been for her, and 


82 


THE GOLD MINE 


what a day this last day of the week! The aching 
void of her life was no more; it had been filled. 
New, unknown powers stirred in her inner world, 
and she felt that life was worth living. 

After retiring she had so much to think of that 
rest became a secondary matter. Why had it not 
been sufficient for her to possess the grace of God 
and be included in the atonement of Jesus? Why 
had not this sufficed to fill the emptiness of her 
heart and satisfy her longing? Was there not 
some self-righteousness in her new desire to be 
and do somethiing? What if she was in danger of 
putting the practice of Christianity, so much to 
the front that her fellowship with Christ would be¬ 
come a secondary interest! 

She determined to ask Ivarsson or Gunnel about 
this. But then the answer came to her quietly and 
softly from the knowledge of the Word which she 
had acquired by diligent private study. When she 
had for a while pondered on the passage: “Not of 
works, lest any man should boast,” the sequence 
came clearly and decisively: “For we are His 
workmanship, erected in Christ Jesus unto good 
works, which God hath before ordained that we 
should walk in them. ,, 

From this verse she saw clearly that she would 
never be able to accomplish enough; much less too 
much. 

A sword that is never drawn from its scabbard 
must rust. A limb or a muscle which is never used 


THE GOLD MINE 


83 


will be paralyzed and atrophied. The buried talent 
earns no interest for its owner. 

“Go straight to my vineyard, the work is for you, 
For great is the harvest, and workmen are few,” 
she had sung at the prayer meeting. Were those 
words meant for her or for others? Had she not 
been standing idle long enough and merely looked 
on while the weeds grew and got the upperhand in 
the field about and within her? Was that to rely 
on her own power if she endeavored to accomplish 
as much good in her Ford’s vineyard as He gave 
her grace to accomplish? 

No. It had now come to the point where the 
love of Christ was felt as an impelling power. His 
was therefore the power, not her own. 

The many thoughtful faces which she had seen 
looking toward the speaker again passed review in 
her mind, and she felt deeply that nothing what¬ 
ever had heretofore been done to lead these wan¬ 
dering sheep to their rightful Shepherd. With 
the exception of a very small minority they were 
all sheep who had no shepherd, and it was distress¬ 
ing to think that nothing at all had been done to 
lead them out of their spiritual darkness. 

Would she now be accounted worthy of doing 
something, of contributing of her precious time 
and slender talent to a rescue work, undertaken 
for the purpose of snatching sinking souls from the 
ocean of sin that surged and roared round about 
her, and the ominous din of which now seemed to 


84 


THE GOLD MINE 


have closed in upon her after having for a time 
struck her merely as a distant echo, too far off to 
concern her. 

Oh, how deaf she had been! How gracious God 
had been to send Gunnel in her way—the girl with 
the warm and beautiful sunbeams, to which her 
deep spirituality with its penchant for the mys¬ 
tical, gave a subdued touch. What a beneficent in¬ 
fluence she had already exerted over Judith’s mode 
of thought! How different Gunnel and Nanna 
were! And yet this uncommunicative, repellent 
creature had an almost sentimental attraction for 
her. What lay beneath this calm exterior, in these 
large dark eyes that resembled a deep, still river 
in the evening twilight, but out of which one might 
every moment expect to see a water-spirit rise 
gold harp in hand? 

Judith had often observed that she had keen 
powers of observation and a sound judgment. But 
what did make her so unlike the rest of the family? 

During Ivarsson’s discourse Nanna had been 
sitting by a little table behind the gathering and 
merely turned the leaves of an illustrated book of 
travels which lay there. Afterwards when the 
warriors of Jesus Christ and the spiritual armor 
were mentioned and the commissioner’s wife had 
asked her if she had not joined the ranks, she re¬ 
plied : 

“No, I belong to the neutrals,”—a reply that 
greatly surprised and perplexed the good woman. 


THE GOLD MINE 


85 


“How will it feel to have her alone at work a 
whole week? Before this living problem Judith 
felt quite helpless. How could Gunnel pre-sup- 
pose— ? No that’s impossible. 


CHAPTER VI. 

The Golden Key. 



fJNDAY with its clear sunshine, its 
§§>joyous company, its Sunday school work 
| #§> with spirited singing and incentive 
k questions, beaming children’s eyes, em¬ 
barrassed looks, awkward and foolish replies, al¬ 
ready belonged to the past. Monday came with 
overcast sky, dreary drizzle, and wet lawns and 
meadows. The white-bodied birches in the in¬ 
closure beyond the barn had their yellow crowns 
thinned out more and more, and the trees in the 
park about Skuggvik day by day assumed that color 
combination, peculiar to the season, of red, drab, 
yellow and green, which in all its splendor is the 
surest death symptom of summer. The rain beat 
in a monotonous and wearying manner against the 
small window panes, and Judith to-day fancied 
that her lowly apartment with its sure sign of de¬ 
cay looked more dreary than ever. “I have been 
spoiled by the light and comfort over yonder,” she 
mused. “And it will not be a bit better when Nan- 
na comes, quiet and uncommunicative as usual. Her 
presence will only add new weight to my mood...” 

“What a changeable creature I must be any¬ 
how!” she continued expostulating with herself. 


THE GOLD MINE 


87 


“Yesterday I stood on sunny heights of triumph. 
To-day I am like the autumn sky, and the old Ju¬ 
dith has returned.” 

She could not turn her thoughts from Nanna, 
and couldn’t help feeling for the poor child who 
could not share in the joys of others. She must 
be subject to some secret suffering, which gnawed 
on her. She was too young to be a victim of the 
commonest form of young girls’ misery—a dis¬ 
appointed affection, neither did she seem disposed 
that way. But something, in addition to bodily 
infirmity, was gnawing at her youthful happiness 
and making her uncommunicative and repellent. 
If she had not seen the real tenderness with which 
she was treated by the family, she might have been 
tempted to consider Nanna as the black sheep in a 
flock of white ones. But that was utterly impos¬ 
sible. 

Occasionally she had come up to the sewing 
room during Gunnel’s week, and Judith had re¬ 
marked with astonishment that the young girl’s 
glance, which, in the judgment of Gunnel, re¬ 
sembled a frozen lake when the winter sky is mir¬ 
rored in the ice, sometimes acquired life and 
warmth when it rested on Judith and she thought 
herself unobserved. And then these eyes beamed 
and sparkled as if some fettered spirit for a mo¬ 
ment had been permitted to use them as windows 
through which to gaze out upon life. 

At the appointed hour Nanna came with an 


THE GOLD MINE 


absent look and a loitering gait and greeted her 
with a “Good morning” and a smile that had no life 
in them. She brought with her from her mother 
good bread and butter with cheese for herself and 
cold sliced meat for Judith besides cream for the 
forenoon coffee. “It will taste better here than at 
home,” she said. 

Judith had much to do this day and was in great 
need of some assistance. But she saw at a glance 
that she had but little assistance to expect in this 
case. Judith did not need to caution her against 
over-exertion, for after a while she laid her sewing 
aside and said with a tired air: “I would rather 
learn to embroider than to sew dresses. May I 
not, Judith?” 

It was no easy matter for Judith to make 
such a promise. Instruct in embroidering, which 
is so trying, especially now when she needed help 
with a trousseau? But she did not have the heart 
to tell the girl this. 

“I would gladly let you do that, Nanna, and 
no doubt it would interest you more—if I only had 
time to draw a pattern for you.” 

“I have some patterns myself, although I don’t 
know how to work them. I will bring them along 
to-morrow; but now I will try to help you.” 

And she endeavored to make herself useful. She, 
like Gunnel, was very apt, but Judith saw plainly 
that she worked without pleasure or interest. Ju¬ 
dith longed to open a conversation with the silent 


THE GOLD MINE 


89 


girl which would permit her to get a glimpse of her 
inner world. But it happened as it frequently does 
when one wishes to speak the right words: One has 
nothing to say! 

Gunnel’s idea about the golden key occurred 
to her, and she smiled at it. Has the gold ore been 
taken out as yet? Or refined? How will it feel 
when the gold is to go into the crucible ? 

But those words of Gunnel would not give her 
any peace! She must endeavor to do something for 
this poor lamb, that had not yet yielded itself into 
the care of the Good Shepherd. She felt, though 
reluctantly, as if she were responsible for this 
young soul, which unreservedly had voiced its un¬ 
belief, and which God now hade led into her way. 
She prayed for light and wisdom from God. 

In the afternoon distant relatives of Ivarsson’s 
called, and Nanna had to stay in. It was almost a 
relief to Judith. 

The following day Nanna brought in to her a 
portfolio with the patterns and deposited it on Ju¬ 
dith’s bed. 

“Are you going to embroider today?” inquired 
Judith. 

“Not today. I will try my best to help you, since 
you have so much to do. But I brought the patterns 
nevertheless. We can look at them afterwards.” 

“Nanna, you said once that you are not a child 
of God. Can that be possible?” 


90 


THE GOLD MINE 


It seemed as if Nanna were not unprepared for 
this question. She looked up and replied: 

“Why should it not be possible? You can see 
that, can’t you?” 

There lay an expression of defiance mingled 
with subdued pain in her voice. 

“But, Nanna, why are you not? What is the 
reason?” 

“It is something no one can come to of himself, 
as you well know. ‘The gifts of heaven are awarded 
in divers manners, and no one answers for what 
ne’er was given!’ Thus Tegner puts it,” replied 
the girl curtly. 

“But his words have no application here. 
‘Whosoever will, let him take the water of life 
freely,’ thus saith the Lord. Your excuse avails 
nothing, my dear Nanna.” 

“Well, then I suppose it is because I haven’t 
got the will yet,” replied Nanna in uncertain ac¬ 
cents. 

“Nanna, there must be something beneath this 
resistance of yours.” 

There was something imposing in Judith’s 
words and manner. She felt her whole being 
aroused with pity for the young girl’s spiritual 
condition as well as with zeal for the truth. 

Nanna sewed on in silence. Then she looked 
up as if to beg for understanding and sympathy. 

“There is much beneath,” she said finally, “that 
neither you nor I can understand.” 


THE GOLD MINE 


91 


“But, Nanna, tell me what it is?” 

“How do I know? Those are the dark depths of 
my nature, these bottomless pits of unbelief and 
doubts.” 

“But God loves you, Nanna, and longs to help 
you across the depths.” 

“Oh, He does ? I haven’t become aware of that!” 
There lay something so mocking in her tone that 
Judith was amazed. 

“Dear child, you know that He does. You have 
grown up in an atmosphere of warm heartfelt 
piety, where God’s love for sinners always has been 
the fundamental note. It is no news to you, I am 
sure. But you need to believe it. Then you have 
always been the object of love and tender care in 
a home that is blessed by God. What should cause 
you to question the love of God?” 

“They are obliged to endure me once I am in 
this world, and it is a fact that I am now here. 
But I assure you that if I had my choice I would 
not have chosen to come here.” 

She firmly compressed her lips with an expres¬ 
sion of profound bitterness. 

Judith sewed and wondered. What could it be 
that had given this young girl such a dismal view 
of her existence, and how could it be remedied? 

“I fail to understand that you have anything 
but your bodily ailment to be unhappy over, my 
dear Nanna. And you are on the road to improve¬ 
ment, I have heard.” 


92 


THE GOLD MINE 


“I never shall improve. My existence appears 
to me like that of a dwarfed plant that needed to 
stand in the sunshine but which instead has been 
shoved deep, deep into the shade. I only wonder 
how God can give so unequally ,if He is love, as 
you say—and if He—would He then shower all 
imaginable blessings on some people and cause 
others to be deprived of everything—save un¬ 
realized wishes ?” 

“I don't see the justice of what you say, Nan- 
na! Is your lot so dreary? How can it be? You 
have a good intellect, exceptionally so—I under¬ 
stand that. And a fine, intelligent appearance.” 

“Fine!” Nanna tossed her head contemptuously 
backward, “sick and flabby and repulsive, say—” 

“How unjust you are! I liked your little pale 
face at once, although Gunnel, of course, looks 
more healthy and blooming. But you complement 
one another.” 

“Yes, about as a little withered white clover 
and a beautiful, fullblown rose. The insignificance 
of one only serves to heighten the splendor of the 
other.” 

“But, Nanna, I hope you are not envious of 
your own sisters! In the first place you have no 
cause for envy, and in the second place I have 
thought you too noble-minded to be envious. Envy 
is a bitter root, which God—” 

“Pshaw! Nonsense! God doesn’t regard me as 
worth the trouble of eradicating any evil whatso- 


THE GOLD MINE 


93 


ever out of my heart. He lets the weeds grow free 
and unchecked in me as fast as they can. What’s 
the difference if nettles grow on a dump?” 

There was an inexpressibly deep bitterness in 
the girl’s voice, which implied more than the words 
uttered. Judith was overwhelmed. She felt power¬ 
less and without an answer before this strange 
outburst. 

There was a soul life full of possibilities, a con¬ 
fusion of thoughts, sentiments, and perceptions, 
but all twisted. The words attested a crying need 
of something mediatory, something that could 
bring order and harmony into this chaos. 

Judith gazed with a look of surprise and warm, 
heartfelt sympathy on this pale face, which seemed 
to have congealed into ice. 

This glance from these mild, sad eyes seemed 
somehow to make itself felt by the young girl. She 
looked up hastily at Judith and her face melted. 
Then she burst into violent sobbing, and Judith let 
her sob. That the poor girl was uncomprehended, 
although loved, by her family, was becoming more 
and more evident to her, and it was as if the girl 
had had a perception of Judith’s thoughts. 

“Judith,” she said, when she had somewhat re¬ 
gained her composure, “let me speak with you— 
just you—do you hear? I feel that you would bet¬ 
ter understand the dark depths in my soul than any 
one else. It is sometimes impossible for me to 


94 


THE GOLD MINE 


believe in a personal God. If He exists and is such 
as you say, good and righteous, there should not 
be so much crying misery in the world, so much 
jarring disharmony in human life.—No, don’t at¬ 
tempt to answer me, don’t interrupt me, let me 
speak to a finish now! An other time my thought 
is bound and my tongue dumb. It is not only here 
in our family that such an unequal distribution 
has been made. Look around you in the world at 
large. How the world is full of unfortunate, mis¬ 
understood, despised, poor, and in every way un¬ 
happy folks! They have not deserved to suffer 
above others, but they are forced into suffering and 
overhelmed by it. Frequently it overtakes them as 
irresistably as an avalanche; and they must sub¬ 
mit to being crushed beneath it, while others bask 
in continual sunshine, that makes life an unbroken 
series of enjoyments for them. And still, in the 
end, no attention shall be paid to the glaring in¬ 
equality during life on earth, but only to the fact 
that some have embraced certain dogmas and held 
fast to them. And that is to open the portals of 
Paradise to them—but all others—” 

Her eimotion overpowered her, and she sudden¬ 
ly stopped. 

Judith sat dumb for a moment. Such line of 
thought was unnatural for this cherished child, 
who had never experienced anything but love. 
She must have imbibed these views from some¬ 
where else. 


THE GOLD MINE 


95 


“Nanna,” she asked, “have you spoken like that 
to any of your family ?” 

Nanna shook her head. 

“It may be unfortunate that you haven’t. But 
you must have read some infidel literature?” 

“Never!” 

“And haven’t you met with anyone who has 
imparted these views to you, which afterwards 
have assumed definite form and matured in your 
own judgment?” 

Nanna laughed in the midst of tears. 

“You look clear through me with those brown 
eyes of yours,” she said. “Well then ,listen. When 
I was in town in order to take gymnastics, I 
stayed with a woman whose husband was what 
you call an infidel, and he constantly talked about 
the anomalies of which life is so full. At first I 
thought it was terrible to listen to, but gradually it 
became clear to me that he was right, and I soon 
accepted his ideas. And after these thoughts once 
got a foothold, they grew strong, and now I see 
with my own eyes and not with those of another.” 

“You consider yourself independent now, but 
do you know it is only lack of independence? I 
am greatly surprised that you with your good sense 
and your Christian education have so easily become 
a companion of fools!” 

“Shame on you, Judith! You are getting to be 
like the rest. Harsh, unproved statements and self- 
satisfied, unkind opinions. Is it right to call a 


96 


THE GOLD MINE 


really refined person a fool because he dares to 
hold independent views?” 

“ ‘The fool hath said in his heart: There is no 
God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable 
works, there is none that doeth good/ It is God’s 
own spirit that utters this opinion, and it can not 
be overthrown,” Judith replied with firmness. “I 
no longer wonder that you feel unhappy, poor 
child, when you stand under such an unlycky in¬ 
fluence. Did your parents know that that man is 
an infidel?” 

“They did not.—Pshaw—in that case I suppose 
I would have had to go without gymnastics! But 
the lady of the house was religious—and of no ac¬ 
count besides. But I pity her because he had such 
an ugly, uncontrolable temper.” 

“I can well believe that!—Do you suppose an 
infidel can feel happy or that he can make any one 
else happy?” 

“That is just the point, to view life as it is 
without trying with the aid of religion to shed an 
artificial light on it. Tell me the truth, Judith, 
have you always been happy since you were con¬ 
verted?” 

“If I was not always happy it was due to my 
own failings . And besides a believer may not al¬ 
ways feel happy, though he is so in fact.” 

“Pshaw—talk about being something one does 
not feel! What is the use? To feel happy is to 
be happy in my opinion.—If fate will have it so 


THE GOLD MINE 


97 


that I am to go insane, I would rather be a poor 
lunatic rejoicing in imaginary riches than a rich 
one who torments himself on account of imaginary 
poverty. Am I not right?” 

“Far from it! Suppose these two lunatics wake 
up from their dreams and get to see things in 
their proper light; which one would be the really 
happy one, humanly speaking?” 

“That is simple enough—but—when will such 
an awakening take place?” 

“With all certainty when all day dreams will be 
dispelled by the light of truth—namely in the 
existence after death. Falsehood and truth will 
then be as widely separated as those who have 
in this life been the children of truth and falsehood.” 

“If I could be convinced that there is a God, 
I would give in, but—” 

“Well now, if there is no God, then neither is 
there any Satan. Is that clear?” 

Nanna merely shrugged her shoulders. 

Judith continued: “And if there is no Satan, 
whence comes all the evil in the world, which 
makes people mean, ruined, and unhappy? Or do 
you believe in a blind fate?” 

“Not that either.” 

“Then what do you believe? If there is no God 
who has created man, where did he come from? 
How did man get any good qualities if God did not 
give them to him? If on the contrary man has 
sprung into existence without any other cause than 


98 


THE GOLD MINE 


the forces of Nature, he must be such as Nature, 
or whatever you call it, has made him, and then 
every human being is devoid of responsibility, 
whether he be bad or good. And if the principles of 
good and bad have absolutely no existence then 
neither god nor bad can exist—and then evil and 
good are merely a confusion of ideas and are with¬ 
out value. And besides, if there is no God there is 
no life after this, and then it seems to me that 
every intelligent man who suffers the consequences 
of life’s vicissitudes ought to end his existence as 
speedily as possible. Then life isn’t even worth 
living.” 

“That is to say, you advise me to—you think 
I ought to take my own life!” 

“Yes, provided there is no God, and no life after 
this, and you dare to do it.” 

“No, Judith, now you are going too far.” 

“By no means. I only show the consequences 
to the limit. Speaking seriously it seems to me 
that infidels are much worse off than we who be¬ 
lieve in a loving God, revealed in Christ Jesus.” 

Judith felt with regret that her argumentation 
was weak and defective, and she scarcely dared to 
meet the penetrating glance of her opponent. Sud¬ 
denly Nanna got up and passionately threw her 
arms about Judith’s neck. 

“Yes, you are better off than I, and I would be 
like you if I only could.” 

“And Gunnel?” 


THE GOLD MINE 


99 


“Yes—Gunnel is what she ought to be, authough 
I am mean—” 

“Nanna, come down and eat dinner-r-r!” called 
Lydia from the yard, and Nanna left Judith to her¬ 
self with her new conflicting impressions. 

On leaving, Nanna let Whitis into the room. He 
jumped into the bed, causing Nanna’s portfolio to 
fall to the floor, and a number of scraps of paper 
were scattered about. 

Judith hastily picked them up. There were not 
merely patterns. On several leaves were frag¬ 
ments of both poetry and prose, written in Nan¬ 
na’s handsome, vigorous hand. 

Judith could not refrain from glancing through 
some of them. On one leaf was written: 

“Eternal unrest in my soul doth dwell, 

That mars my peace; and my poor spirit pesters. 

That unrest flows—alas, I know it well— 

From an ill-bandaged wound that bleeds and festers. 0 

Judith read the little stanza twice, laid the 
paper aside and took another. On it was written: 

“Yes, with the blood of my aching heart 
Fain would I mix the tears that start 
Out of my eyes, and drown 
Therein my hope forlorn, still pining, 

Pining for fame and renown, 

Heedless of Fate, its death-doom signing/’ 

Judith read and wondered: Has Nanna written 
this ? Is this a voice from the inner world—a voice 



100 


THE GOLD MINE 


doomed perhaps to die away like a voice in the 
desert? 

Here was another gush of thoughts: 

“Thunder-clouds o'er my soul’s horizon still lower. 

Still, sad thought! Thou makest me shrink and cower! 
Touch not my heart, that woe encumbers! 

Call not to life its grief that slumbers! 

Long an unequal, hopeless conflict it fought; 

Leave it in peace, since peace in vain it has sought!’* 

And still more: 

“Halt, ye thoughts bizarre, so madly rushing 
Through my brain, becoming spray and foam! 

Why these vain complaints and dirges gushing? 

I was born to pine and pore and roam. 

If a book could soothe me I would rather 
Read than, eat, and yet—what can they give? 

No more flowers remain for me to gather, 

Sick and weary, I am loth to live. 

Ha! I have it! I will be a writer 
And record the chaos of my thought, 

Search my brain for sparks to make life brighter. 
Faintest light is better still than naught. 

Still I have no fire, and who will lend me 
Means to light my wick, extinct and black? 

Unless heaven deigns a spark to send me, 

Through eternity I’ll want and lack.’’ 

When Nanna returned after dinner, Judith told 
her about the mess which the cat had wrought and 
the result. 

Nanna blushed, something that had never oc¬ 
curred since Judith became aquainted with her. 


THE GOLD MINE 101 

“Are you sorry because I read your verses?” 

“Sorry? They won’t hurt you, will they?” she 
replied with a tinge of irony. “I forgot that I 
had them in the portfolio. I guess you are the 
first one to read them. Anyhow they are worth¬ 
less.” 

“And have you written them yourself?” 

“Those things come to me when I am out walk¬ 
ing, and I write them down when I come in, al¬ 
though there is no sense in them.” 

“You might have developed into a writer if 
you had been allowed to study.” 

“Don’t speak about it, Judith! It is as if you 
touched an open wound. You see, this idea of 
greatness, this thirst and longing for an unattained 
goal that beckons in the distance—a longing to 
develop into something that is not commonly the 
lot of country girls—this is my heart disease that 
makes me rebellious against God and men.” 

“Have you never spoken to your parents 
about it?” 

“It seems to me they ought to understand it 
anyhow. But they are so thoroughly practical all 
of them, and they want to devote to missions all 
the means that are not indispensable to the farm 
and the household. Last spring Father received 
an unlooked-for legacy from America, and then 
hope begant to stir in here—because you see, 
Father knew what I wanted all right. But then he 
bought this place, and now—Gunnel is going to 


102 


THE GOLD MINE 


attend a school of missions—and for me he has 
no funds available/* 

“But you must have attended some high school. 
You so often use expressions and phrases which are 
quite uncommon with country people. Many of 
them I can’t understand at all.” 

“Not at all—I have only gone through the 
ordinary public school. But you see I read every¬ 
thing I get hold of, and I not only read but i think 
and store away. All of that lies in my nature.” 

“It’s a pity about you, Nanna—I really do pity 
you, poor little captive bird of the woods. But I 
have an idea your parents are acting on inspira¬ 
tion from on high. That your father bought 
Hedeberga I can not regard otherwise than as 
providential. God evidently wills that the banner 
of the cross be planted also in this dark place. And 
you say Gunnel is going to attend a school of mis¬ 
sions?” 

“Yes,” replied Nanna with an effort to control 
her voice. “She intends to become a missionary 
on the foreign field.” 

“Really—she it fitted for that. I assure you it will 
make you glad some day to hear what a blessing 
she has been on the mission field. No doubt she has 
a high and holy mission to fulfill. I suppose your 
delicate health is one consideration which has made 
your parents hesitate as to whether it were right 
to send you to school, as you might easily over- 


THE GOLD MINE 


103 


exert yourself. What, in fact, did you want to 
prepare yourself for?” 

“What? I can hardly say offhand. But I wanted 
some education—study languages and history, so 
that I could become a writer—and then to come 
in contact with kindred spirits and be permitted to 
look out upon the domains of art and literature.” 

“Yes, that would not be bad. But then I would 
rather with Gunnel look out upon the domains of 
sin and unbelief in order to help in spreading light 
and life by means of the gospel of salvation by 
the power of the Holy Ghost.” 

“It is evident, of course, that you two will hold 
together, and I will have to go on my way lonely 
and misunderstood as before.” 

“Until you lay your hand in Jesus’ hand and say 
to Him: 'Lead me after thy counsel!’ and then 
relinquish all your own thoughts.” 

“And the dreams of youth?” 

“You only need to leave them to Him, and He 
will provide for their realization in a better way 
than you could suggest. Then you will be con¬ 
tented and happy, and then you will write songs for 
our meetings and Sunday school, and your gift will 
be a sacrifice consecrated to the Lord, my dear 
little poetess!” 

“Would you want to sing my songs ?” 

“I will sing your songs rather than any others.” 

“Sing something for me now, Judith.” 

And Judith sang: 


104 


THE GOLD MINE 


Great God, when I behold the vast creation, 

Which Thou hast wrought by Thy almighty word* 
When I perceive Thine all-wise domination, 

How Thou dost care for man and beast and bird. 

My soul, rejoiced, proclaims thy praise abroad: 

Oh, wondrous God! Oh, wondrous God! 

When on the marvels of the sky I ponder, 

Where golden ships the deep-blue ether plow, 
Where sun and moon in peace and concord wander 
And know their time and place, man knows not how, 
My soul, etc. 

When I hear thunder from the cloud that lowers, 
And hissing lightnings pierce the gloomy sky, 

When, as the rain descends in gentle showers 
The rain-bow of the covenant I spy, 

My soul, etc. 

When o’er the fields the breeze of summer rushes 
And gorgious flow’rs their fragrant odors waft, 
When from the woods I hear the song, of thrushes 
Borne back from crag and rock with echoes soft, 
My soul, etc. 

When I hear dull, presumptuous fools descanting, 
Denying God and scoring His commands, 
Themselves in need, yet other men supplanting, 

And fed like them, by God’s almighty hands, 

My soul, etc. 

When, born a man, I see how God assembles 
The sick ajnd poor and helps them everywhere, 

When I see death o’ercome and Satan tremble_ 

And Him the palm of resurrection bear, 

My soul, etc. 


THE GOLD MINE 


105 


When, torn with sin, my heart within me bleedeth 
And at His feet I beg for peace and grace, 

And in His holy path my steps He leadeth 
And saves from sin and helps me run the race, 

My soul, etc. 

And when at last the veils of time are falling 
And unseen hope is turned to present sight. 

When I perceive the bells of heaven calling 
My ransomed soul to peace and glory bright, 

My raptured soul will sing these words abroad: 

I praise Thee, God! I praise Thee, God! 

The beautiful, poetic words impressed the young 
poetess. The ice was broken, and she became com¬ 
municative. She allowed her newly acquired friend 
to look into the depths of her “chaos,” as she 
termed those half uncomprehended thoughts, feel¬ 
ings, and impressions which bring so much suffer¬ 
ing to a highly poetic nature as long as it is not 
understood and has no facilities for development. 

She drew Judith along into the mystic silence 
of the words, into the weird, moonlit jungle of the 
autumn night, where plaintive hobgoblins secreted 
themselves in the shadows and the birds of the 
night hooted their prophecies of evil and their 
songs of grief. She took her along to hear the 
waves of the lake sing their primeval memories and 
confess to the fading flowers misdeeds, committed 
centuries ago. She made her see how the stars of 
heaven wept in the night—wept clear dewy tears 
over the immeasurable sin and guilt of the earth. 


106 


THE GOLD MINE 


She likewise gave her a peep into a desolated 
garden of roses—a young, warmly pulsating heart, 
where nevertheless all singing spring life must die 
down, all germinating vital force must be 
smothered by the hand of materialism and then ill 
health. 

“Say, but you must stop now, Nanna, or you 
will make me crazy 

“I wish you were as crazy as I, for then we 
would sing a song of life in both major and minor 
key/’ 

“What then do you want to go to school for? 
You express yourself in an obscure maner as it is, 
it seems to me.” 

“Obscure! Now you hit the nail on the head! 
You see, if I had a school education it would solve 
the difficulties and bring clearness and order. To 
have in the mind a lot of thoughts, conceptions and 
perceptions, to which one is unable to give form in 
proper expression is like exerting the respiratory 
organs when there is a lack of air. All of this an 
education would remedy. To have a sense of con¬ 
stant suffocation that—” 

“Don’t cry, my dear little poetess! I fully be¬ 
lieve that God will let you get your breath, if 
He—” 

“Exists, you mean,” Nanna filled in, wiping 
away her tears. “If not, I guess I had better take 
your advice and get myself out of the difficulty. 


THE GOLD MINE 


107 


I would rather be dead than have this tormenting 
weariness of life—” 

“Now you must not talk about weariness of 
life. No doubt you believe there is a God who 
helps, although you like to fuss a little.” 

Lydia’s plump, childlike face appeared in the 
door-way. 

“Nanna, Uncle and Aunt are ready to leave, and 
they want to say good-bye to you.” Her mellow 
voice always had something of music in it. 

Nanna laid her work down with a sigh. 

“I guess I won’t come up anymore this evening. 
Thanks for to-day!” 

Judith sat absorbed in thought. She had gotten 
a glimpse of a new world, which before had been 
to her a land of the unknown, but of which she 
seemed to have a recollection from the mysterious 
land of dreams. There was a correspondence be¬ 
tween herself and the uncommunicative girl, that 
was evident. They could not but react on each 
other. Both had been in a way separated from 
other people and lived in a world of their own. But 
for Judith it had changed. There had come a 
radiance over her life and a power that mightily 
broke through her weakness. She must and she 
would be something for this girl, with whom she 
semed to be in closer spiritual kinship than with 
others, although there was not between them this 
inner bond of union which is a fruit of the Spirit. 

When would the golden key be ready? 


108 


THE GOLD MINE 


She sat a while as if she had listened to a 
whispering from an unseen being. Then she went 
to her dresser, opened a little drawer and took out 
a folded paper, yellow with age and worn out in 
the creases. It was an old passion hymn, trans¬ 
lated from the Italian, which she had copied out 
of a periodical many years since. 

She knelt by the sofa with the little hymn in 
her hands, which she stretched heavenward, and 
cried to God from the depth of her heart that this 
hymn might become the golden key that could 
open a poor young heart struggling for divine light 
and heaven-born peace. In spite of the urgent 
work she sat down at the table and copied it on 
a clean sheet of paper. 

When in Gethsemane wrestling, 

Watching and praying and weeping. 

Blood from my sweat-pores was seeping 
Know it was streaming for thee 
Thee—yet who knows if it brought 
Ever a serious thought! 

Only an angel could number, 

Only in heaven 'ts written 

With what deep stripes I was smitten 

Smitten and wounded for thee— 

Thee, etc. 

Crowned, with a reed for my sceptre, 

With the sharp torns they had plaited, 

Hailed, yet insulted and hated, 

Then I was thinking of thee 
Thee, etc. 


THE GOLD MINE 


109 


Tried and condemned without mercy, 
Under the cross-burden sinking, 

Yet not from Golgatha shrinking, 

All have I suffered for thee. 

Thee, etc. 

Nails through my body were driven, 
Wrath was poured out like an ocean, 
Torments of Hell were my portion, 
Death have I suffered for thee— 

Thee, etc. 

And when my bosom was riven 
That still heart with pure love bursting 
Gushed forth a fount for the thirsting, 
Shedding its life-blood for thee— 
Thee, etc. 

Say, is my love worth receiving? 
Seeing the stripes that were given? 
Have I yet fruitlessly striven— 
Fruitlessly striven for thee— 

Thee, etc. 

Dying I asked of My Father 
Pardon for all thy transgression. 

Scorn not that meek intercession, 

It is salvation for thee— 

Thee, etc. 

Trembling, the earth and the heaven 
Showed me their heartfelt compassion, 
When in this terrible fashion 
I was forsaken—for thee— 

Thee, etc. 


no 


THE GOLD MINE 


I was thy friend and thy brother, 

Still as thy God I am able, 

When thou hast come to My table 
There to be present with thee. 

Thee, etc. 

Tell me, what more could I offer? 

By my own mercy incited 
The human and godlike united 
Have wrought salvation for thee. 

Thee, etc. 

Yes, I was dead, but I've risen, 

Ever in heaven I’m living, 

Still interceding and giving 
Faith and repentance to thee— 

Thee, etc. 

Thinking of thee when I suffered, 

Now, as in heaven I’m reigning, 

Still the same spirit retaining, 

Ever I’m thinking of thee. 

Thee, etc. 

Then Judith laid the paper, which was of a 
crimson color, among the other papers in Nanna’s 
portfolio. 

“God, let this love speak more powerfully to her 
heart than my poor wtords can do!” she sighed. 

Later in the evening Nanna came for her port¬ 
folio. She was to try to draw a monogram on 
cloth according to Judith’s instruction by perforat¬ 
ing the outlines with a needle and brushing potato 


THE GOLD MINE 


111 


meal over it. This was a novel experiment for the 
girl and tempted her enterprise. 

On the following day Nanna did not come at 
the usual hour. This caused uneasiness to Judith, 
who could not refrain from looking out through 
the window. Finally she came, and Judith noticed 
that the girl, contrary to custom, had an agitated 
appearance. 

“Nanna, how are you?” asked Judith. 

“How am I?—Just as you wanted me to be, 
you innocent dove with the cunning of a serpent,” 
replied the girl with an attempt at smiling, but 
suddenly she threw herself on her knees beside 
Judith and hid her face in her lap, while she was 
convulsed with sobs. 

“Nanna!” 

“Judith!—They are torn down altogether, ir¬ 
reparably and completely—all the defenses of un¬ 
belief—all rational theories! I got hold of that 

red thing-that you had smuggled in-and 

such a night as I have had! That red thing has 
stood before me like the reflection of a love that 
suffered death, a blood that was shed for me.—It 
has overpowered me and made me small as a 
mite—. How glad I am that Gunnel slept like a 
good child!” 

“Oh, Nanna!” 

“No—don’t interrupt me. I have a long confes¬ 
sion to make,” continued the girl without lifting 
her face ou t of Judith’s lap. “Judith, how could 


112 


THE GOLD MINE 


I go so long a time with blindfolded eyes—so per¬ 
sistently and self-determinedly blind, that I have 
not seen this ? How could I ignore so much love and 
say so many bitter things against God! Will He 

forgive all this ? If I had sinned ignorantly- 

but this premeditated resistance and conceited ar¬ 
guing against God’s word and providence!—All 
seems to me more than the most blood-red sins. 
I shall never get peace for this.” 

Judith caressed her light hair, while her own 
tears dropped on the kneeling girl—tears of the 
sweetest joy. It seemed as if her bosom would be 
burst by the new, powerful spring sap that bubbled 
and throbbed within. She was almost amazed. 
The golden key to the jewel chest had been found. 

“Nanna, my beloved child, listen to what He 
Himself says: ‘Peace I leave unto you; My peace 
I give unto you/ Your sins, of whatsoever kind 
they be, He blotteth out like a cloud and a mist...” 

“Sins, oh yes, but unbelief—conscious, deliberate 
unbelief! It isn’t the sins, but unbelief that con¬ 
demns me. I have been hard and shown contempt 
against Him; will He not turn me away with hard¬ 
ness and contempt in return when I come and ask 
forgiveness? What a man soweth, that shall he 
also reap—isn’t that so?” 

“No, He will not turn you away with hardness 
and contempt, dear child. Is not unbelief a sin for 
which He has suffered death—which was contained 
in the handwriting which was against us, and which 


THE GOLD MINE 


113 


He has nailed to the cross? ‘Him that cometh to 
Me I will in no wise cast out/ the Master says.” 

I suppose you think that all my unbelief has 
disappeared all of a sudden, my dear Judith, but 
there is still much of it left.” 

“I don’t suppose anything of the kind. I know 
that much about the human heart, I can assure 
you. Especially it isn’t likely to go any too easy 
for a such little trouble maker as you are. But do 
you really want to? There’s where the hitch 
comes.” 

“Of course I want to, else I wouldn’t have said 
anything to you. Oh, it is fearful to live as an 
enemy of God and feel as if one were an outcast 
frorr^ His face, to be an object of the wrath of 
Jesus and never give Him a friendly thought. Have 
I not crucified Him afresh with my rebellious and 
hostile mind? I feel as if He would say: ‘Now it 
is my turn to be rebellious. Depart—’ ” 

“That He will by no means do. Not a bit of it! 
Never mind how it appears to you or how you feel 
about it. Just hold fast to His word and insist on 
being wholly on Jesus’ side, in spite of all inward 
resistance, and on entrusting your life in His hands 
and you will not fail to get peace. He will do it.” 

“But I must not only ask God for forgiveness, 
I must also ask Father and Mother and Gunnel to 
forgive me. That I must do, my dear Judith?” 

“Is that so difficult?” 

“For the old Nanna, yes—but the new Nanna 


114 


THE GOLD MINE 


will feel her heart warm up when it is done. I 
have seen many tears and heard many heavy sighs, 
I can tell you, and well I know that they concerned 
me. How novel it will be once in life to see them 
rejoice over me!” 

“Shall we kneel down and give thanks to God, 
Nanna?” 

“We will put that off till I am a little more sure 
of myself and order is restored within. All is con¬ 
fusion—.” 

“It is a blessed confusion, my little Nanna. Let 
God Himself bring order out of this confusion; 
no one else can do it. We will not put it off! He 
shall have the thank offering of our hearts just 
now.” 

And so they kneeled in prayer. And Nanna 
was surprised at the peace and quiet that settled 
over the confusion within—just as the rays of the 
sun cause the ice and snow and frost to melt away 
in the spring time. 

In this wonderful manner the week of moon¬ 
light was changed into the brightest sunshine. And 
great was the joy of the whole household at Hede- 
berga that the golden key had been found and the 
jewel casket opened, so that the glittering gems 
which had lain buried in darkness could reflect the 
rays of the Sun of Righteousness, which shone in 
these with salvation—under His wings. 


CHAPTER VII. 

Spring Time in Late Autumn. 

days grew more and more bleak and 
^dismal. The cold autumn rain drizzled 
[□^continuously against the window pane, 
[□fj] and the clouds hung heavy and motion¬ 
less even down to the tree-tops, as it seemed. 
The air was raw and chilly—just the weather to 
make one feel melancholy and make life appear 
dreary. Everything in nature more and more took 
on the monotonous, colorless appearance that 
characterizes late fall and which makes one almost 
long for the pure white winter covering. But while 
autumn was plundering and desolating like a veri¬ 
table robber chieftain outside, a new spring life 
bloomed and shed its fragrance within the humble 
limits of Hedeberga and even spread further in 
the vicinity. 

Nanna’s altered views of life and life aim caused 
unmingled joy in her home as well as in Judith 
who had been the means of bringing it about. The 
sewing circles were faithfully attended though as 
yet not by a great number, for all knew that only 
religious people were attending, and none other 
presumed to go. The Sunday school was the most 
prosperous, for it was attended not only by little 




116 


THE GOLD MINE 


folks but also by big folks, mostly attracted by Ju¬ 
dith’s beautiful, sympathetic song, and later more 
and more by the powerful attraction of the word 
of God. Ivarsson and Gunnel took turns in study¬ 
ing the text with the children, and it fell to Nanna’s 
lot to relate a story, which she did in a descriptive 
manner peculiar to herself. All this was novel to 
the neighbors, who often followed the example of 
the children and thought it was a joy to gather 
with them. Thus people soon came in such num¬ 
bers that Ivarssons large house proved to be too 
small to accomodate all. 

Public meetings were also frequently arranged 
when some traveling preacher would be present 
to speak or Ivarsson himself would, according to 
the grace given to him, expound the Scriptures. On 
all such occasions the house was overfilled with 
people. 

Pretty soon the rumor spread like wild-fire that 
the foreman at Skuggvik, Andrew Enkel, and one of 
the tenants of the old manor, Nils from Grankasa, 
had joined the believers, and this bit of news 
caused a tremendous excitement, for in that vi¬ 
cinity nothing of the nature of a spiritual revival 
had ever been heard of. The few believers of the 
locality had rather unnoticed taken their present 
stand. This new order of things soon led to secret 
and open hostility, and the opposition had its fore¬ 
most champions in a group of young rascals who 
acted the part of disturbers at the meetings and 


THE GOLD MINE 


117 


molested the people when they late at night re¬ 
turned to their homes. Soon the enmity to Christ 
took on the aspect of admonitions from those in 
office, church council decrees and prohibiting 
orders. These were intended to serve as water on 
the fire, but instead they acted as oil. 

Ivarsson, however, kept on, calm in the con¬ 
sciousness of his Christian right and duty and 
courageous in faith to labor for the salvation of 
souls. He was joined by some of the men of the 
community, who had long been followers of the 
Lord in secret, but not till now had their eyes 
opened to their duty to show their colors and be 
lights in the world. The question of building a mis¬ 
sion house found more and more response among 
them. Greatest was the joy when first one, then 
another of the disturbers fell victims to the sword 
of the Spirit. 

This was a spring-time full of life and promise, 
while autumn spread death and desolation in na¬ 
ture. 

So the 24th of October dawned. Already at 
dawn the clouds showed a tendency to part and 
give the sun a chance to let his shining face once 
more look out on the tear-drenched earth. 

A hitched-up dray wagon stood in front of the 
door of the old house at Hedeberga, and Ivarsson 
himself, assisted by a laborer and his two oldest 
boys, carried Judith’s furniture, one piece after the 


118 


THE GOLD MINE 


other, down the rickety steps and loaded them 
into the wagon. Gunnel and Nanna were up there 
and helped Judith to take the more fragile objects 
from the walls and shelves and to pack them care¬ 
fully in a large basket. Even little Lydia showed 
herself capable of helping and Whitis ran officious¬ 
ly back and forth between the two buildings, as if 
he were doing most of the moving. It was no 
trouble at all to get the things in and everything 
in its right place in the light, beautiful gable room, 
where no one needed to fear that he would bump 
his head against the rafters. 

It was Friday, and the following day Judith for 
the first time was to be hostess for the sewing 
circle. She had worked and saved in order to be 
able to treat the dear co-laborers to coffee and a 
simple lunch. Maja-Lisa had already had the sewing 
circle in her homely cottage, and now Judith 
wished to dedicate her new abode with this kind of 
meeting. 

She was just standing on a step ladder in front 
of the wide window, hanging up her new-laundered 
curtains, which proved to be entirely too short 
here, but which she had neatly lengthened out with 
bits of old ones, hidden by the broad curtain 
holders. She had acquired a youthfulness with life 
and color, and the new, cozy dwelling seemed to 
have given her a new view of life. It was an en¬ 
tirely different Judith from what it had been. Sun¬ 
shine had come and brought life in her withered 


THE GOLD MINE 119 

garden, and she was conscious of it and thanked 
God for it. 

A gentle knock was heard at the door, and 
Nanna’s face appeared. She exhibited a still more 
thorough change, wrought in this brief period. It 
seemed as if a statue of yellow marble had been 
endowed with life and circulation, causing a crim¬ 
son, active element to shine through the pale ex- 
trior. She smiled and rhymed: 

It is Nanna, fun creating, 

As she used to do. 

For the coffee pot it waiting, 

Bright and warm, for you. 

Don’t believe that I would fool you, 

Mamma says: Come down. 

Hurry, Judith, or I’ll pull you, 

Drag you by the gown. 

“What? Coffee again? That will never do. You 
spoil me entirely.” 

Let me hear no ‘‘but or if,” 

Come with Whities in a jiff! 

“You little poetess! I can’t keep you under 
my thumb any longer. I just have to obey your 
slightest nod!” 

“Rhyming chronicle would be a more fitting 
name, for my poetry isn’t of much account. But 
perhaps by and by—” 

‘ Your muse you will try- ’ 


120 


THE GOLD MINE 


“But then you must not become proud on that 
account,” continued Judith laughing. 

“You are a more clever rhymester than I. But 
come now, else mother will get impatient, which, 
however, when I think of it, is not very probable.” 

“But where did you get your poetic vein, Nan- 
na? It isn’t inherited?” 

“Oh yes, it is inherited, but—.” Nanna was 
absorbed in thought and forgot to finish the sen¬ 
tence. 

“You mean to say from the Lord—certainly 
not from your father.” 

“Oh, Father, he is the genuine, practical prose, 
body and soul, as you must have noticed. But have 
you never looked into Mother’s eyes. Don’t you 
see that a captive bird peeps out at the windows 
now and then, furtively though it may be? But 
you see, that bird is so accustomed to being caged 
that he doesn’t cause much of an uproar. Habit 
soon becomes second nature. Mine, on the contrary, 
is of a more ungovernable nature and shakes the 
bars of the cage, so they clatter, and when he has 
exhausted himself by his vain efforts, he tries to 
‘die in beauty,’ as is the fashion nowadays. But he 
fails in that too and leads a hopeless life. It used 
to be that way, as you know, but now he is tamed 
and leaves me in peace to some extent.” 

“He ought soon to be set free from captivity 
and be allowed to live in the free air of heaven 


THE GOLD MINE 


121 


and sing his Maker’s praise,” said Judith with emo¬ 
tion. 

In the newly scrubbed sitting room the coffee 
table with fresh coffee bread awaited them. Mother 
Tilda smiled pleasantly at the two girls, when they 
entered and went to the kitchen to get the coffee 
pot. With a new interest Judith eyed the pale, 
gentle matron, who moved so deliberately and 
thoughtfully in the midst of her household duties 
as if these had been her vital element. But when 
she looked deeper into these somewhat wandering, 
blue-gray eyes, she found that they had the same 
far-off look as Nanna’s although this expression 
was more tender and womanly, so to speak. She 
was wholly engrossed in her husband and children 
and the many diversified duties which fall to the 
lot of a wife and mother and probably no longer 
felt any regret for a more intellectual life work, 
as Nanna. Gunnel, though practical, enterprising, 
and energetic like her father, had, she too, some¬ 
thing of the dream nature, but in her it found ex¬ 
pression in a purely spiritual way, and she often 
“saw visions,” as her father used to express it. 

“And to-morrow you will come up to me for 
coffee—won’t that be fun!” said Judith, as she 
stood with her hand on the door-knob ready to go 
to her room. I wonder if the lady from Markerud 
will dare to go out now, since the moon has gone 
down and the nights are so dark.” 

“Oh, she isn’t at all timid! Besides she can stay 


122 


THE GOLD MINE 


here over Sunday as ishe did the last time,” com¬ 
forted Gunnel. 

“And Maja-Lisa will stay with me. Mother 
Annika won’t venture out this time on account of 
the roads being so muddy and bad.” 

“What a fine time we shall have with my Golden 
Key! That will be something non plus ultra! But 
what are we working for? We have as yet no 
mission society to give our contribution to. If we 
had a definite purpose and aim we would work 
with greater energy, don’t you think so?” 

Yes, Nanna was right. They ought to have a 
definite aim to work for, and all the participants 
ought to have a clear understanding of this aim, 
for which they were sacrificing time and money. 

Why not form a mission (Society that could con¬ 
nect itself with some already existing larger 
mission societies and arrange it so that travelling 
ministers might oftener visit in this locality? 

“Have we nothing to learn in this matter, noth¬ 
ing that could give us members an insight into mis¬ 
sions and their necessity?” asked Nanna with un¬ 
usual eagerness. 

“Indeed we have,” replied Gunnel, “we have 
periodicals on missions, and also books on the sub¬ 
ject.” 

“Then we will appoint Nanna as reader,” sug¬ 
gested Judith. 

“Nothing of that kind! We will elect Judith, 
who has such clear organs of speech and such a 


THE GOLD MINE 


123 


fine pronounciation and says ‘kott’ and ‘svatt’ and 
‘bott’ instead of *kort’ and ’svart’ and ‘bort,’ and 
so on, and so on.” 

Judith laughed and remonstrated, but Nanna 
was inexorable. 

When Judith came up to her room she stood in 
front of the window and looked out over the fields. 
It was quite a different view from what she had 
been accustomed to for a long time, with the 
thatched out-buildings that shut off the view to¬ 
ward the great spruce forest with its sombre beauty. 
Here was an open view across yellow fields and 
leafless patches of woods, with borrowed hues from 
the reddish light of the setting sun. Beyond lay the 
lake in mirror-like calm, reflecting from its glitter¬ 
ing deep the lurid sunlight, mixed with the purple 
of the sunset sky. In the midst of the lake was 
an island, covered with tall, dark fir trees, which 
made a good effect and gave the picture a deeply 
serious and romantic character. On the right hand 
shore, between the leafless trees, the dark, steep 
roof of Skuggvik’s old main building was visible. 
This was the prettiest part of the scenery, and Ju¬ 
dith, who loved everything pretty, was charmed at 
having this captivating scenery before her eyes. 
It would be an acceptable relief to them after being 
too long fixed on her .sewing. She scarce knew her¬ 
self how receptive her mind was to the beauties 
of nature, till she had a chance to enjoy some of it. 
Now it seemed incomprehensible to her how she 


124 


THE GOLD MINE 


could have lived and existed so long in the hovel 
yonder, which had already that day lost its old 
roof. 

Her belongings, simple but well taken care of, 
also looked altogether different in this light, airy 
room, where everything had an aristocratic ap¬ 
pearance. And then the large, neat attic with its 
roof-window and the girl’s room opposite. To 
converse with one another they only needed to 
open their doors. What excellent provision her 
heavenly Father had made for her! Never had 
she thought that she would in this life feel so full 
of peace and joy as she felt at this moment. 

The sewing circle began to assemble immediately 
after one o’clock. The membership had been in¬ 
creased by four persons: Mother Lisa from Gran- 
kasa, two girls from Dalbrona, Hilma and Garda, 
and no less a personage than the redoutable Miss 
Marie Charlotte Diven, house keeper at Skuggvik, 
who out of sheer curiosity had accompanied the 
girls to a meeting one evening and then was won 
for the higher life. But before that she had, 
through the courageous testimony and consecrated 
life of the servant maids, had the blessed hunger 
and thirst after righteousness awakened in her 
soul. 

The two sisters from Dalbrona were the much 
spoken of leaders of fashion in the locality, and the 
popular verdict was that they were “awfully 
stuck-up.” Now they came plain and humble, and 


THE GOLD MINE 


125 


asked if the might join the sewing circle. They 
asked Judith to please be kind enough to cut out 
a combing jacket for each of them. They had the 
material with them. Hitherto they had treated her 
with haughty condescension, and she had had no 
customers that were harder to please than those 
two. But still greater was Judith’s surprise when 
old Mother Britta’s familiar wrinkled face with 
the kindly eyes and the little toothless mouth 
appeared. 

She had heard so much both good and bad con¬ 
cerning these meetings, she said, and now she 
wanted to see for herself, with her own eyes, what 
they were doing. “And being that the meeting was 
to be held at the home of an old acquaintance— 
and then I suppose there would always be use for 
socks—if they can’t sell them there is always some 
poor fellow to give them to.” 

And so the knitting nedles were soon in the 
liveliest of motion. Judith had all she could do 
with cutting, stitching, and supervising the work. 
And when it came to selecting a supervisor Judith 
obtained all the votes. 

Mother Tilda had taken charge of the prapara- 
tion of coffee, and the girls had set the coffee 
table in their room. Little Lydia sat with her 
crocheting and had put on a becoming serious air. 
Sitting still, however, became monotonous, and 
therefore she often made herself errands into her 
sister’s room, where she was greatly interested 


126 


THE GOLD MINE 


in counting how many kinds of cake they were to 
have to their coffee. 

It was a blessed sewing circle; so every one 
thought. No man was present, hence several of 
the women ventured to pray aloud before the Bible 
reading began. A good, heartfelt spirit ruled among 
the working sisters. Gunnel read a chapter in the 
Bibel. Judith and several others sang some devo¬ 
tional songs, and Nanna read a couple of mission- 
stories. The question of the formation of a mis¬ 
sion society was also discussed with much interest, 
and those of the women who had not even known 
what a mission society is, now received the desired 
information. The final decision of this question 
was left to the men, who were to have a meeting 
and consider this matter the same evening. 

Mother Britta for the most part sat quietly 
listening, but when the sewing circle had adjourned 
for the evening and every one was ready to go 
home she said to Judith : 

“We’ve had a good time with you. I expect I’ll 
come again some time. And—it isn’t farther to 
my place than you can come there and sew another 
time.” 

And as Mother Britta said so was it decided. 

“The sewing circle in your home, Judith, was 
the best of all,” said Nanna, when the three girls 
had seen the mistress and the girls from the manor 
to the very garden gate. 

“Why so?” asked Judith. 


THE GOLD MINE 


127 


“Because I could take part with my whole heart 
this time,” replied the girl thoughtfully, as she 
looked skyward. 

Up there hung the moon, cold and clear, and 
poured its silvery light over the frozen earth. The 
frost-bitten grass glittered and sparkled in faint 
rainbow hues in the moonlight. The evening was 
cold, and Nanna shivered now and then as she 
walked close to Judith. 

“You are not rhyming to-night, Nanna; you 
must be cold,” said Gunnel, approaching her sister. 

“No—there would be too much rime then. I 
think there is enough already,” replied the girl with 
a smile. “But come here, you big sunshine, and 
the rime will melt. Oh, how warm you are!” 

“And you are so cold, you poor little thing! 
But how strong you are compared with what you 
were before, Nanna!” 

“Yes,” replied Nanna absentmindedly, “the bond¬ 
age of sin and death once o'er, the body is 
strengthened more and more.” 

Judith and Gunnel glanced at each other with a 
furtive smile, for they realized that Nanna was un¬ 
consciously rhyming. 

“God is good,” said Gunnel warmly. 

“But what are you laughing at, folks?” 

“We smiled because of the pretty rime that was 
made without your noticing it,” laughed Judith. 

“But lo and behold—oh!” The girl faced the 
lake absorbed in contemplation. 


128 


THE GOLD MINE 


“What is it, Nanna?” 

“What is it? How can you ask? Have you ever 
seen anything more beautiful, you every-day folks? 
Don’t you see how the moon every-days? Don’t 
you see how the moonbeams rock and rock to and 
fro on the waves ? See how the entire lake glitters 
and gleams in blue and silver. And out there floats 
Klosterholmen in the water’s edge with its black 
fir trees like a sombre nightly fairy tale—. Do 
you know what ? There must be some mystery hid¬ 
den beneath the deep shadows in there, a poetic 
mystery which it will be given to me to reveal, or 
perhaps a sombre one, that will some day leave its 
impress on my life.” 

“Say, Nanna, you are going into ecstasies, and 
the result will be a cold if you stand here any 
longer.” 

“Judith, do you know what? Father has 
promised me that I can go to the academy in—if I 
am good, that means if I get strong enough. What 
do you think? Is it strange that I see everything 
with transformed eyes? Won’t you rejoice with 
me?” 

“You, you little moonlight poem. If I did not 
want you to get the wish of your heart, I would 
sit down and weep when I get home.” 

“Weep!—Why?” 

“When the ‘poetry of every day life* glides 
from me and only the prose remains. And then 
Gunnel is going to the school of missions—. How 


THE GOLD MINE 


129 


in all the world is life going to look then?” said 
Judith, more disconsolate than she would have it 
appear. 

“Then you will have to be both the sunshine 
and moonlight,” replied the two sisters at once. 

“How you talk! And think of Mother Tilda. 
How is she going to get along all alone? That is 
more than I can understand.” 

“She has old Nilsby-guten to attend to the barn¬ 
yard, as you know, and then she will have a girl 
to help indoors, of course.” 

“But at that—think how lonesome she will 
feel” 

“She has Father and the smaller children, and 
then she has a share in a gold mine, as you will 
understand by and by.” 

“Say, but listen—.” 

“No, listen! Promise us, Judith, that you will 
stand as a faithful friend by Mamma’s side when 
we have gone each our own way. Will you 
promise?” 

“Dear me, it would be my duty to do more than 
you ask of me. I am indebted to you for both 
spiritual and temporal aid. You know you can 
count on me, that I will be and do all that God 
gives me grace to be and do.” 

“Thanks, Judith! You are a woman of character, 
we know that. Then we need not be uneasy.” 


CHAPTER VIII. 

An Unexpected Meeting. 

—what gushing life, what mighty 
powers, in process of development, what 
a world of dim expectancy and undenied 
longing is not contained in this little 
word! How full of pleasant reveries is not a sun¬ 
ny evening in spring with its mild air, its springing 
blades of grass, its budding trees, and cheery sing¬ 
ing of birds! 

Just such an evening Judith stood at the window 
in her room and looked out upon green tinted field 
and woods, where the incipient verdure seemed in¬ 
laid with gold in the bright sunshine. The lake lay 
blue and calm beyond the fields and underbrush and 
seemed full of bright spring smiles. 

It was Saturday night, and Judith had early 
returned from the sewing circle in Dalbrona in 
order to help Mother Ivarsson, who was not feel¬ 
ing well that day. Now Judith was at leisure for 
the evening after putting her room in the come- 
liest of order with violets and buttercups in the 
vases on the dresser, and now she had time to 
think. 

It was a year and a half since she had moved 
into this light room, and ever since her life also 

130 





THE GOLD MINE 


131 


had been light, although little passing shadows now 
and then had arisen, only to make the light spots 
a little lighter. How different many things had be¬ 
come during this period, the happiest of her life! 
God had clearly given his approval of the labors of 
His few children, and a vigorous spiritual life had 
sprung into bloom in this formerly dark and un¬ 
fruitful locality. The mission house stood ready 
and newly painted yonder on the hill among dark, 
young spruces and light birches. It was spring¬ 
time also in a spiritual sense. Salvation-hungry 
crowds of people streamed to the mission house 
every Sunday and even occasionally on the week 
days. The Sunday school and the sewing circles 
became more and more frequented, and many young 
people, who had wearied of an empty, grasping, 
worldly life, came and asked if they might partic¬ 
ipate in the work. 

Judith had her hands full, for after Gunnel’s 
departure she had taken her place in the Sunday 
school, and in everything and by everybody her 
personal assistance was demanded. All ennui had 
disappeared, and the weariness which she some¬ 
times felt was merely bodily. She experienced a 
literal fulfillment of the words of the Lord: “Thy 
youth is renewed like an eagle’s.” Her appearance 
showed this. Mother Tilda also took care that her 
pantry should not be empty, for she knew, she 
said, what may happen to a poor seamstress. Thus 
these two helped one another. 


132 


THE GOLD MINE 


It was a happy life, though tinged with melan¬ 
choly because of the absence of “the big sunshine” 
and the “rhyming chronicle,” both of whom, how¬ 
ever, wrote long letters about longing for home 
and hopes for the future. Judith vividly remem¬ 
bered the day of their departure. How serious 
Gunnel was, and how radiant Nanna! She had cer¬ 
tainly no cause for wishing, as she had once said to 
Judith: 

“I should like to have another appearance, when 
I come out among people, than I have—” 

“You certainly have no reason to wish anything 
like that, dear Nanna—your little round face with 
its tender, child-like expression.” 

“Tender, child-like—yes, there we have it! I 
don’t complain of being ugly, exactly, but would 
like to have something piquant, something charac¬ 
teristic, something different from the usual round¬ 
cheeked country-girl type—a bolder cut profile or 
a more unusual physiognomy. Such a fine, clean- 
cut face as yours, with brown, intelligent eyes, 
would be more suitable for a poetess than my round, 
inexpressive one. Even a lean, angular one like 
Malla Soder’s would be more suitable—” 

“Be careful, Nanna! You may some day have 
to regret that your face has become lean and an¬ 
gular like that. You had better be satisfied with 
your appearance.” 

“Oh, yes, honestly, I never will really worry 
about anything so superficial as my looks, if only 


THE GOLD MINE 


133 


my soul were a mirror for the fairest among the 
children of men. And you know how full I am of 
foolish notions.” 

Judith was in such a singular mood this eve¬ 
ning. The air was full of forebodings, and an un¬ 
defined fear that something might happen that 
would bring her back to the past settled over her 
joyous memories like a mist on a smiling landscape. 
It seemed as if her old longing for an unattained 
goal would again overtake her. 

She took her hymn book from the shelf, turned 
the leaves for a moment, and then she let her soft, 
bell-like tones fill the room: 

“Not for earthly name and treasure, 

Gracious Lord, to Thee I pray; 

Not in earthly, passing pleasure 
Would I spend life’s fleeting day— 

Draw Thou me 
Close to Thee—• 

Gladly will I all things suffer 
For a closer walk with Thee.” 

She was interrupted by a rather sharp knock at 
the door. 

“Come in!” 

A man with a fine and still youthful appearance, 
dark brown hair and moustache, and dressed in an 
elegant traveling suit, appeared in the doorway 
with an air of indecision. When he spied Judith his 
face brightened, he closed the door behind him, and 
advanced a few steps into the room. 


134 


THE GOLD MINE 


Judith hastily closed the hymn book and laid it 
aside, as the strange visitor shyly extended his 
hand. 

“Do you recognize me?” he asked with a quaver 
in his voice. 

“John Thyreus,” she replied calmly and extended 
her hand in reply. 

What an imposing figure he made! He was 
highly colored and fleshy—much more than suited 
Judith's taste. 

She invited him to a seat, and he seated himself 
comfortably on the little couch, just as if he had 
been at home there, and asked her to be seated by 
his side. 

He was come, he said, to ask her forgiveness 
for the past. He had had no peace of mind during 
all these years after breaking their engagement 
because she would not leave her mother. He 
with his respectable family connections and bright 
prospects for the future did not then want to come 
in close touch with a woman of such doubtful char¬ 
acter as Judith's mother. So they parted. But he 
who was responsible for this parting had lost most 
thereby, although his future looked brighter than 
hers. He had lost not only his peace of conscience, 
but the noblest woman’s love and the happiness he 
had dreamt of at her side. He had married a 
wealthy girl, but was now a widower for two years 
and had two little girls. A couple of older children 
had died in infancy. Would Judith now forgive him 


THE GOLD MINE 


135 


and become his second wife, although he once had 
been foolish enough to allow himself not to make 
her his first wife ? 

Judith sat silent and meditated a while, and the 
changing color of the friend of her youth reflected 
the uncertainty of her answer. 

He had forsaken her because she had refused to 
forsake. Was that the character of a rightminded 
man? Would she be able to trust him now, since 
he had, just when she needed his support the most, 
so coldly and selfishly failed her? Was he a man 
of other principles now? Was his repentance gen¬ 
uine, or was his offer a ruse in order to get a reli¬ 
able person to look after his house? 

Her reply was deliberate, mature. She had long 
since forgiven him. There was no thorn left from 
the old pain, but it was best not to tear up that 
which was forgotten and forgiven. She had reached 
the age where the question of matrimony was a 
thing of the past. He ought to look for a wife with 
youth and future prospects. 

No—he would have none beside her! He knew 
full well that no one else could make him truly 
happy in life. He owned a fine, well furnished home, 
and had a good income. She would want nothing 
—love, respect, wealth—all would be hers. And 
his twin girls—just two years old—sweet little an¬ 
gels, but motherless, how they would love her, the 
unselfish and self-sacrificing— 

Judith's heart grew soft like wax before the sun. 


136 


THE GOLD MINE 


Oh, these little girls, his little girls, they would also 
become hers—. 

A warm current of life permeated her whole 
being and was plainly reflected in her countenance. 

She wanted to say something, but she suddenly 
restrained herself, and the words died on her lips. 

“Judith, why don't you answer?" he asked in 
an agitated manner. 

“John, I have given myself up to Jesus, wholly 
and without reserve. He is my Lord and my God, 
my life and my happiness." 

“You can do that for all I care. I am not jealous 
of Him,” he replied with an awkward laugh, which 
made a disagreeable impression on Judith. “Have 
you turned religious?" he added in a somewhat 
chill manner. 

“I believe that God has forgiven my sins and 
my forgetfulness of Him, and I am washed in the 
blood of the Lamb. And you, John?" 

He made an evasive motion with his head 

“You can believe anything you want to for all 
I care," he said with a somewhat supercilious air, 
“just as I want to have my own convictions to my¬ 
self. We need never quarrel about that. I respect 
your belief just as you do mine. Every one is saved 
by his own faith. That is my belief." 

“But not mine. I believe what God says in His 
word. And His words are these, ‘He that believeth 
in the Son hath everlasting life; but he that be- 


THE GOLD MINE 


137 


lieveth not in the Son shall not see life, but God’s 
wrath abideth over him.’ ” 

“Yes,” he said in a careless tone. “I understand 
how it is. You have a more concentrated personal 
conception of God, while my conception of Him 
has a much wider scope, and besides is more up-to- 
date,” he added with a smile. 

Judith had again grown very pale during the 
latter part of the conversation. 

No, no!—their paths must still henceforth run 
apart through life. There was too much that sep¬ 
arated them. But the two twin girls—oh, they had 
a right to grow up in a different atmosphere. 

“If you would send them here and let me take 
care of them!” she said entreatingly. “I would care 
for them as tenderly as ever a mother could do.” 

“Now you are talking vagaries, Judith! It is l 
who need you in my home, where my children have 
their proper place. I wouldn’t part with my chil¬ 
dren,” he exclaimed vehemently and rose from the 
couch. 

He too had turned very pale. 

“Stay and have a cup of coffee! I will have it 
ready directly.” 

“No, thanks! I drank coffee at the inn just be¬ 
fore I came here. You are poor, Judith,” he said 
with a quavering voice, as he put his hand in the 
inside pocket of his coat. 

Judith turned crimson. 

“John Thyreus!” she exclaimed with darting 


138 


THE GOLD MINE 


eyes and tremulous voice, “you are poorer than 
I. You have only your temporal riches, and they 
will not go with you across the river of doubt, 
but as a child of the personal God I am heir to the 
kingdom of God.” 

“Good-bye, Judith. Live happily. We shall never 
meet agin”, he said in a broken voice as he turned 
toward the door. 

“Oh John!—are we to part forever?” There lay 
a compressed anguish in this question—a question 
that got no reply—and he was gone. 

Judith herself wondered that she took this so 
calmly. This was the second time that she had 
conquered herself, but how much easier it was now 
than the first time! 

“I can do all things through Christ, who 
strengtheneth me,” she thought, and fervently 
thanked God that He had saved her from being 
unequally yoked with an unbeliever. 

But still the impression of this meeting stood 
like a sombre shadow between her and the calm 
and peace which she had before experienced 
beneath the wings of God. 


CHAPTER IX. 

The Three “Hedeberga Girls.” 

was a beautiful summer day, with 
^ ¥ SHnithe sun sinking low in the west. It 
^ ^had been cloudy and threatening during 
day, but the clouds had softly glided 
away and packed themselves into a dense wall 
above the eastern mountains, which were brightly 
lit up by the sunshine and took on the finest hues 
of crimson, violet, blue-gray, and gray. On the 
broad sidewalk on the south road in G. there 
walked with measured steps a gentleman and a 
lady, accompanied by two little girls, who were 
clad in cream-colored apparel from head to foot, 
and who fluttered on like two butterflies. 

The lady, who seemed to be about forty years 
of age, looked elegant in her pretty but extremely 
simple promenade dress. Her features were regular, 
and a slight plumpness gave to her face and figure 
a youthful appearance. The gentleman at her side 
had a distinguished look and a healthy complexion 
and wore a fine, well fitting costume. They slowly 
promenaded past one villa after the other, that lay 
imbedded in the luxuriant summer verdure. A re¬ 
cent rain had washed the dust from the trees and 
flowering shrubs, and the sun glittered and 

139 


140 


THE GOLD MINE 


gleamed in the still adhering raindrops. Here and 
there a spire rose out of the leafy bed. Here and 
there a window, surrounded with trailing vines, 
peeped forth. And above the vine-covered balconies 
were ornamental hanging baskets with dark red 
pelargonias and blue lobelias suspended with in¬ 
visible chains. Summer flowers in gorgeous colors 
shone and sent up their perfume from fine, velvet¬ 
like lawns, fountains hurled their glittering cas¬ 
cades into the air, and the trushes sang among the 
oak trees on the crest of the hill to the east. The 
promenaders did not seem to pay much attention 
to the gorgeous splendor with which they were 
surrounded but conversed eagerly with each though 
in low ones. 

“No—we will walk. It is such a lovely evening, 
and I need exercise—and it is only a short dis¬ 
tance to the cross-roads. Are you tired, little 
ones?” 

“No! We run faster than Ma and Pa. See, 
we’ll run a race with the street car!” 

The children darted away like a gust of wind, 
and the gentleman and the lady also quickened 
their steps Ere long they turned in at the cross 
road, crossing the bridge over the river, which 
flowed underneath, sluggish, dark, and foul smell¬ 
ing. The pedestrians hurried back and forth on the 
wide road between the villas, where carriages, 
rolled, wagons rattled, and horsemen rode in a 
gallop on shining, light-footed steeds. But the 


THE GOLD MINE 


141 


stately lady seemed to pay no attention to the busy 
life round about her but seemed to be occupied by 
a single thought. 

"I hope we haven’t delayed too long, so that 
we arrive late?” she said as she looked inquiringly 
into the gentleman’s face. 

The gentleman took up his gold watch. 

“No danger; we have a quarter of an hour,” 
he said. “We have plenty of time.” 

“But my dear little ones, aren’t you tired now?” 

“No! We are not tired at all. Mama, did you 
see that pretty cat inside the gate to Jakobsdal? 
He had three colors, and he looked at us as if he 
wanted to say, ‘Come on and play with us.’ ” 

They walked by O—s old church with the en¬ 
chanting graveyard, dreaming in shadows and 
silence, where the dead sleep, watched by winged 
marble angels and covered by a gorgeous wealth 
of flowers—then they took the road that runs 
parallel with the railway toward G—a. On near¬ 
ing the little station they heard a shrill, prolonged 
whistle, accompanied by an increasing thunder-like 
roar, which informed them that they had arrived 
just at the right moment. As the steam-horse 
slowed up and stopped directly in front of the 
station, panting, blowing, and snorting, the door 
of a coach was suddenly opened and two young 
ladies in light summer dresses and with boquets of 
flowers in their hands hastily stepped out, and the 


142 


THE GOLD MINE 


train rushed on, leaving a dense black trail of 
smoke behind. 

The two young ladies were received with 
evident emotion and joy by the smiling lady, and 
after the introduction, “My husband, John Thy- 
reus—Miss Gunnel Ivarsson—Miss Nanna Ivarsson 
—Siri and Harriett, our little daughters ,” the family 
returned with the two young girls in their company. 

Gunnel had during the school period grown a 
trifle paler but was radiant and unchangeably hand¬ 
some. She was now about to let the equatorial 
sun do its worst with this health and beauty, even 
if she must sacrifice life itself in that death-dealing 
climate. But Gunnel was not of the kind that backed 
down in the face of difficulties. Nanna had grown 
considerably, looked healthy, and her slender, 
youthful figure had acquired a more dignified car¬ 
riage. When at times she assumed her old-time 
weary, discontended air, no one who did not know 
her could see anything pretty in that pale, exprese- 
ionless face. But if she became interested, which 
she did very quickly, her face would light up until 
it shone with animation and intelligence, and in her 
eyes there would appear a glow that made her al¬ 
most prettier than her fair sister. It was the beauty 
of intelligence. With vivid interest she looked about 
her in her new environment. She saw everything: 
the city to the right with its spires and palaces, the 
fortress Kronan and the water reservoir looming 
up toward the sky, the villas with their leafy parks 


THE GOLD MINE 143 

to the right—the view overcame her with its en¬ 
chantment. 

“How long may we have you here, you birds of 
passage?” asked Mrs. Thyreus, when the first de¬ 
monstrations of joy at the meeting were over. 

“In two days I go to England in order to pro¬ 
ceed thence to the mission field and my long wished- 
for life work. I shall have two whole days to 
spend with my dear Gold Mine.” Gunnel smiled 
as formerly, but there had come something serious, 
melancholy, in her sweet smile. 

“But, you little poetess—ah yes—rhyming 
chronicle I should say—I suppose you can stay with 
us a few weeks.” 

“Not more than one week.—You must know it 
is lonesome in the home-nest since the grown nest¬ 
lings have flown. I am sorry for Mother and Father 
—they were so downcast when Gunnel went away. 
I will soon be home again, but I am so overworked 
with studies now that I need to take a good rest 
in order to become quite normal again. Mother 
promised that she would not be uneasy for a week, 
provided you do not turn me out to shift for my¬ 
self.” 

“Don’t you worry about that. I’ll have you 
caged, you little bird of the woods! Listen how 
the thrush sings yonder! He and you are pretty 
much alike, I think. I have noticed in a couple 
of popular periodicals that your wings have begun 
to grow, and the singing too.” 


144 


THE GOLD MINE 


“Don’t start any eulogies, Judith! It isn’t be¬ 
coming to you. Do you know/’ she whispered, 
drawing her to the other side of the road, while 
Gunnel and Mr. Thyreus entertained one an¬ 
other, “there was a time when it beckoned and 
allured like the quintessence of all earthly joy to 
gain literary fame and find a place in the firmament 
where the literary lights of the day shine so bright¬ 
ly? I was really presumtuous enough to think of 
this as a possibility. Now I know and feel that I 
shall never rise above a certain height, no matter 
how I strain my wings, as you call it. And therefore 
I have only a feeling of wanting to hide from every¬ 
body and retire into the shade, as soon as the echo 
of praise or eulogy of my little rhymes reaches my 
ears. There is decidedly something unhealthy about 
all praise, and if it goes beyond the mark it causes 
disgust—at times of course, for if it were entirely 
wanting I suppose I would lose my courage.” 

“Say but you are a vain little creature in all 
your retirement! Write with the grace that God 
gives and give Him the glory, then all that is un¬ 
healthy from every source will disappear.” 

“You dear Golden Key, you always find the best 
way to my heart! Do you know, I don’t intend 
to return to school. Papa has consented to my 
continuing at college but for one thing I am too 
old, already nineteen years and then it costs too 
much, and I don’t want my father to have more 
worry about me than he has already had. I intend 


THE GOLD MINE 


145 


to become a busy country woman and help Mother 
at home and thus try to take up the mantle after 
you and Gunnel, if I succeed. I shall nevertheless 
find time to rhyme. With God and His friendship, 
His Spirit and Word—there is the healthiest and 
most refreshing atmosphere for ‘gold keys’ and 
‘rhyming chronicles,’ and there my inner self, my 
real, spiritual ego is best at home.” 

“But you don‘t intend to give up writing?” 

“I neither intend to write or to give up writing— 
I will let it come when it comes, and thus I will 
do as you say, write with the grace that God gives 
and with the object of promoting God’s glory and 
spreading the fragrance of His knowledge about 
the country.” 

“There comes the street car. Don’t you ladies 
want to ride now after the long promenade?” 
asked Mr. Thyreus, turning to the pair engaged 
in conversation, at the same time wiping the per¬ 
spiration from his brow. 

“Oh no, that would be a pity,” said Nanna brisk¬ 
ly. Here are so many pretty things to see for 
one who has never before seen a big city. I must 
see the sights to a finish.” 

“Papa, we want to ride on the street car—we 
are so tired,” cried the little girls. 

“My poor little chickens! You shall ride.” 

“Go with us, Papa! Mama can keep company 
with Aunt Nanna and Aunt Gunnel.” 


146 


THE GOLD MINE 


“Yes, do that, John,” urged the wife, and so, 
with his little girls he entered the car. 

“You look fine since you became a housewife 
in G. and you look happy,” remarked Gunnel, who 
had not had opportunity to talk much with her 
friend from the “spook hovel” in Hedeberga. 

“So I am, thank God! What helped me to de¬ 
cide the matter was the fact that my husband, 
who previously trusted his intellectual powers more 
than God, at last 'took his reason captive under 
the obedience of Christ/ When we parted at Hede¬ 
berga, as I supposed for the last time—you remem¬ 
ber I wrote to you about it—I in parting said a 
few words to him, which God used as a means of 
rending the rock of unbelief in his soul. And when I 
at last was convinced that the change in his manner 
of thought was not a so called 'matrimonial repent¬ 
ance/ but a work of the Spirit of God I had no 
longer cause to decline his entreaty. And he has 
not since given me any grounds for suspicion that 
his character is unreliable.” 

After a while they arrived at the house of the 
Thyreus family. And who was there to welcome 
the visitors if not old Whitis, who still looked quite 
spry. 

The house was not large but of the very best 
construction and surrounded by a dainty little 
garden with well arranged beds of flowers, bor¬ 
dered with crimson snails. The rooms were light, 
airy, and tastefully furnished. Here the resources 


THE GOLD MINE 


147 


of the husband appeared in conjunction with the 
wife’s fine appreciation of what was at once simple 
and tasty. 

A very old man with sparse, gray hair and 
sunken features sat in one of the rooms and read 
in a book. 

“My old father,” introduced Judith with tender 
emphasis. 

After many and long years, during which she 
had lived in painful uncertainty regarding the fate 
of her father, she now had the joy of caring for him 
in his old age. Her husband had for a long time 
put forth vain efforts to learn whether or not he 
was still alive, and where. At last he had found 
traces of him. He, like so many others, had sailed 
to America, where he had sunk deeper and deeper 
in wretchedness. An acquaintance of Thyreus ac¬ 
cidentally discovered him in a poor house, took him 
in hand and sent him across the ocean at the ex¬ 
pence of the son-in-law. Weary of a life in sin 
and wretchedness and with mental faculties im¬ 
paired, the old man had had but one vivid sensation, 
and that was a fear of death that bordered on 
despair. But now the conqueror of death had 
given him peace, and he rejoiced in the fact that 
he had a Savior and also a daughter to take care 
of him in his self-inflicted wretchedness and his 
old age. 

“What an enchanting home! And all is your 
own!” exclaimed Gunnel, when Mr. Thyreus 


148 


THE GOLD MINE 


courteously opened the door to the dining-room, 
where an inviting supper table awaited the guests. 

“Yes, it is our own. The happy owner of a gold 
mine can well afford to have a house of his own/’ 
he replied with a smile. 











































